FOI 0178.2025-26 - Access control supplies
Request :
I would like the following details about your current arrangements for:
Q1. Officer or staff ID cards (printed and blank) and warrant cards (if applicable)
Q2. ID card printers and consumables
Q3. Officer, staff, contractor and visitor lanyards
Q4. Any other access control supplies
Please provide:
- The supplier(s) name or names, Companies House registration number where available, and website address where available.
- The contract reference number
- The total value of the contract, including any permitted extensions
- The contract end date and any extension period that may be used
- A brief description of the service or goods provided by each supplier
If no formal contract is currently in place for any of these items, please provide for the most recent complete financial year:
- a) The supplier name or names, Companies House registration number where available, and website address where available.
- b) The total spend in pounds sterling.
- c) A brief description of the items purchased.
- d) The purchasing route used, for example purchase card, purchase order or framework call off.
This request excludes physical access control hardware and installation, repair or maintenance costs.
If the data is held electronically, please supply it in a searchable format such as CSV or XLS. Please do not supply images or unsearchable files.
Response :
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police.
I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the following information to you.
Q1. I am exempting the supplier of North Yorkshire Police building access control system used pursuant to Section 30- Law Enforcement of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). Please see the exemption explanation below.
Blank cards and laminates – Total ID Ltd. ID Cards, Printers, Access Cards, Lanyards | Total ID. Company number 06442013
Q1b. ID / warrant cards - November 2025 - £7,290
Laminates – £1,300
Q1c. Programmed cards to use with access control system. Laminates for recycling programmable cards. Blank cards for printing visitor cards.
Q1d. Purchase order
Q2a & Q2b. Total ID – £1,260
Q2c. Additional ribbons required to support forcewide rollout of new ID card design
Q2d. 3 quote exercise and ordered via purchase order.
Q3. Blue lanyards purchased for staff/officers. Red lanyards for visitors and contractors to differentiate. None purchased in 2025, last order was for in Sept 2024 £289 and was from SafetyNet Solutions via a quote and PO raised.
Q4a. ID card holders – SafetyNet Solutions Limited. Company number 03903968.
- Total ID Ltd - Company number 06442013
Q4b. SafetyNet - 2025 spend £659. Total ID- £90
Q4c. Thumb slot enclosed portrait ID card holders
Q4d. 3 quote exercise and ordered via purchase order.
Exemption Explanation
Section 31 – Law Enforcement
Section 31 is a prejudice-based qualified exemption and there is a requirement to articulate the harm as well as carrying out a public interest test.
Evidence of Harm
As you may be aware, disclosure under FOIA is a release to the public at large. Whilst not questioning the motives of the applicant, releasing any information held regarding supplier information in relation to building access control systems used, it would allow criminals to note what capacity and tactical capabilities the force had, allowing them to target specific areas of the UK to conduct their criminal/terrorist activities. This would lead to an increase in harm of attacks and compromise Law Enforcement. This would be to the detriment of providing an efficient policing service and a failure in providing a duty of care to all members of the public.
Furthermore, the Police are there to support the public and deliver effective law enforcement. Releasing supplier information in relation to building access control systems used could provide intelligence when read in conjunction with other data in the public domain. This information could then be used by criminals and allow them to target specific buildings
The threat from terrorism cannot be ignored. It is generally recognised that the international security landscape is increasingly complex and unpredictable. Releasing information on building access control systems used would hinder operational capabilities as criminals/terrorists would gain a greater understanding of the police’s resources, enabling them to take steps to counter them. It may also suggest the limitations of police capabilities in across the county, which may further encourage criminal/terrorist activity by exposing potential vulnerabilities. This detrimental effect is increased if the request is made to several different law enforcement bodies.
Information that undermines the operational integrity of the police will adversely affect public safety and have a negative impact on both national security and law enforcement.
Factors favouring disclosure under Section 31
Releasing information held relating to supplier information in relation to building access control systems used would provide an insight into the police resources and enable the public to have a better understanding of the effectiveness of the police.
It would show how public funds are being spent in relation to protecting the public.
Information would ensure transparency and accountability and enable the public to see what tactics are deployed by the Police Service to tackle/assist in fighting crime.
Factors against disclosure under Section 31
It has been recorded that FOIA releases are monitored by criminals and terrorists and so releasing information held relating to supplier information in relation to building access control systems used would undermine and compromise law enforcement and it would also hinder any local, regional or national operations.
It can be argued that there are significant risks associated with providing information in relation to any aspects that can assist criminal planning and that any nation’s security arrangements, by releasing the information, may reveal the relative vulnerability of what we may be trying to protect.
The Police Service would not wish to reveal resource information that would undermine the law enforcement operations and would impact on police resources, as more crime would be committed because criminals/terrorists would know which forces had less/more capability. This in turn would place the public at a greater risk and a fear of crime would be realised, especially for more vulnerable areas.
Balance test
The security of the public and the country is of paramount importance, and the Police service will not divulge the resources, if to do so would place the safety of individuals at risk, due to providing freely available (single point) information under such requests and which in turn would undermine National Security or compromise law enforcement.
Whilst there is a public interest in the transparency of policing resources and providing assurance that the police service is appropriately prepared and effectively engaging with the threat posed by various groups or individuals, there is a very strong public interest in safeguarding the integrity of police resources and operations in the highly sensitive areas such as extremism, crime prevention, public disorder and terrorism prevention.
As much as there is public interest in knowing that policing activity is appropriate and balanced this will only be overridden in exceptional circumstances. It is our opinion that for these issues the balancing test for exempting your request for this information is not made out.
Pursuant to Section 17(1) of the Act this letter acts as a Refusal Notice in response to part of your request.
Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.