CMS FOI Helper: Streamline Your Requests Easily

  (CMS)-foi-helper.html 

This is a TEST 

please let us know how you get on by contacting us 

Description /Guide

CMS FOI Auto Helper is a browser-based assistant designed to help you create and manage Freedom of Information (FOI) requests 

relating to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) through the WhatDoTheyKnow platform.

The tool helps you:

• Generate new FOI requests automatically.
• Analyse responses received from CMS/DWP.
• Suggest the next best FOI question.
• Generate Internal Review requests when information is refused.
• Generate follow-up questions when responses are incomplete.
• Keep a timestamped log of all requests, responses, and generated follow-ups.
• Store everything locally in your browser.

This is intended to reduce the manual work involved in running a long FOI investigation and helps build a chain of evidence and follow-up questions.

How To Use With WhatDoTheyKnow

1. Go to:
   WhatDoTheyKnow - Child Maintenance Service Requests
2. Click "Make a request"
3. Open your cms-foi-helper.html file in another browser tab.
4. Enter:
   • Topic
   • What you want to know
   • Request status = "New FOI Request"
5. Click Generate
6. Copy the generated FOI text.
7. Paste it into the WhatDoTheyKnow request box.
8. Submit the request.

When CMS Replies

When you receive a response:

1. Open the request page on WhatDoTheyKnow.
2. Copy the response text.
3. Paste it into the "Authority Response" box.
4. Change the status:

If CMS says...

Select

Request refused

Denied

Only answered some questions

Partial

Fully answered

Full

No reply after 20 working days

Late

1. Click Generate.

The tool will automatically produce:

Denied

Creates an Internal Review request asking:

• Why exemptions were used.
• What searches were conducted.
• Whether partial disclosure is possible.
• Public interest test details.

Partial

Creates follow-up questions asking:

• Which parts remain unanswered.
• What exemptions apply.
• Whether redacted versions exist.
• What supporting documents exist.

Full

Creates the next investigative FOI request automatically, such as:

• Internal guidance.
• Staff instructions.
• Audit reports.
• Complaint statistics.
• Meeting minutes.
• Decision quality reviews.

Late

Generates a reminder chasing the overdue response.

Example Investigation Chain

FOI 1

Ask:

How many CMS mandatory reconsiderations resulted in a decision being overturned in each year since 2020?

CMS replies.

FOI 2

Tool generates:

Please provide internal guidance used when determining mandatory reconsideration outcomes.

CMS replies.

FOI 3

Tool generates:

Please provide audit reports assessing compliance with this guidance.

CMS replies.

FOI 4

Tool generates:

Please provide management reports discussing audit findings.

This gradually uncovers the full decision-making process.

In the making 

Advanced Version

A future version could include:

• Automatic response analysis using AI.
• Automatic detection of exemptions (Section 12, 21, 31, 40, 42 etc.).
• Automatic Internal Review generation.
• One-click copy to WhatDoTheyKnow.
• Export logs to PDF.
• Timeline of requests.
• Suggested investigation paths.
• FOI exemption challenge recommendations.
• Search of previous CMS FOI requests on WhatDoTheyKnow to avoid asking questions already answered.