Spend on security product suppliers 483/2026

FOI Reference: 483/2026

Request:

1. Please provide the total ex-VAT figure that your force has spent with the following suppliers: Solon Security Ltd, JNE Security Ltd and CMCA (UK) Ltd, during the period of 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2026, broken down by financial year (April-March).
2. Please also include a breakdown showing the specific items purchased, and the quantity and price of each item, that leads to the above totals.

If the requested breakdown is held in a different format that still meets the above requirements, please provide it in that format. Where exact item-level or supplier-level data is not held, please provide the most detailed information available and clearly state any limitations.

Response 1:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, the details of which are as follows:

Response 2:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, however we are withholding some of the information by virtue of Section 43(2) Commercial Interests. Please see the end of the document for an explanation of the applied exemption.

Explanation of the applied exemption – Section 43(2) Commercial Interests.

Section 43(2) - Commercial Interests

“(2) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it).”

This is a qualified and class-based exemption. As a class-based exemption, legislators have already accepted the harm in release of this class of information. As a consequence, there is no requirement to evidence the harm in disclosing such information. However, as the exemption is a qualified exemption there is a requirement to apply the public interest test, as detailed below.

Public Interest Test:

Considerations Favouring Disclosure:

There is a requirement to provide to the general public a better understanding of how public funds are spent. One of the underlying principles of the Act is the need for openness and transparency. In this case, there is a public interest in establishing that Dyfed-Powys Police has negotiated a competitive rate in relation to contracts relevant to this request.

Considerations Favouring Non-Disclosure:

In this case, to release price per item details relating to companies/suppliers that have been used by Dyfed Powys policemay affect the relationship the force has with those companies and affect any ongoing or future tender process and the commercial interests of those third parties which could result in civil action.

Balancing Test:

When balancing the public interest test, we have to consider whether the information should be released into the public domain. Advantages and disadvantages of disclosure need to be weighed against each other. In this case there is the use of public funds favouring disclosure which needs to be weighed against the damage that would occur to any ongoing or future tender process and the commercial interests of third parties.

By releasing the requested information, the commercial interests of a business and individuals may be compromised including that of Dyfed-Powys Police, along with the relationship that Dyfed-Powys Police has with all those companies or persons. Therefore, the factor favouring non-disclosure (i.e. disclosing a price per item), would damage any future tender process and the commercial interests of third parties, outweighs the factor favouring disclosure, which is better understanding of how public funds are spent.

As such, the public interest favours non-disclosure of the information at this time. Therefore, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 08/07/2026)