Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Request

‘The NHS Business Services Authority is listed in position 4 on this list.

https://www.stonewall.org.uk/top-100-emp...

Stonewall attempted to have EHRC stripped of its A status. Does the NHS Business Services Authority support Stonewall's challenge of the EHRCs A status?

I would like to know how much money the NHS Business Services Authority paid to Stonewall in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

I would like to know who took the decision for it to be appropriate for the NHS Business Services Authority to be under Stonewall's influence, and on what basis?

Lastly, I would like to know if the NHS Business Services Authority has undertaken any similar political activism like it has in being a member of Stonewall in support of gender critical views and the importance of single sex spaces, services and sports.’

[On 23 May 2023 we sent you the following clarification request]

The following parts of your request are not requests for information, but rather ask us to provide an explanation or comment and therefore, do not fall under the scope of the FOIA:

‘Stonewall attempted to have EHRC stripped of its A status. Does the NHS Business Services Authority support Stonewall's challenge of the EHRCs A status?

I would like to know who took the decision for it to be appropriate for the NHS Business Services Authority to be under Stonewall's influence, and on what basis?

Lastly, I would like to know if the NHS Business Services Authority has undertaken any similar political activism like it has in being a member of Stonewall in support of gender critical views and the importance of single sex spaces, services and sports.’

[On 23 May 2024 you clarified your request as follows]

‘This does not ask for a comment. It requests the process followed that determined Stonewall membership is appropriate.

"I would like to know who took the decision for it to be appropriate for the NHS Business Services Authority to be under Stonewall's influence, and on what basis?"

Can you provide the process followed to determine this please?’

[On 4 June 2024 we sent you the following clarification request]

You have asked the following question:

"I would like to know who took the decision for it to be appropriate for the NHS Business Services Authority to be under Stonewall's influence, and on what basis?"

We are unable to answer this question as this does not fall under the scope of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as being recorded information held by the NHSBSA.

We would however be able to provide a response to the following question under the FOIA:

"Who took the decision for the NHSBSA to join Stonewall's Diversity Champions Programme?"

[On 4 June 2024 you clarified your request as follows]

‘You are fine to substitute this in, if that's what it will take to finally get a response:

"Who took the decision for the NHSBSA to join Stonewall's Diversity Champions Programme?"’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 10 May 2024.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.

Our response

Question 1

‘I would like to know how much money the NHS Business Services Authority paid to Stonewall in 2021, 2022 and 2023.‘

Under Section 21 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you.

Payments made to Stonewall between 01 January 2022 and 31 March 2023 have been published previously and are available from the following link:

https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foi-01299

No additional payments to Stonewall were made between 01 April 2023 and 01 January 2024.

Question 2

‘Who took the decision for the NHSBSA to join Stonewall's Diversity Champions Programme?’

This was an organisational decision taken based on the Stonewall WEI being a benchmarking exercise based on best practice in LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Data Queries

If you have any queries regarding the data provided, or if you plan on publishing, the data please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

Reusing the data and copyright

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The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2024” Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.