Dismissed s.41 Absolute exemption: Confidential information s.23 Absolute exemption: Information supplied by, or relating to, bodies dealing with security matters s.37(1)(a) to (ad) Absolute exemption: Communications with the Sovereign, Heir to Throne and next in line s.40 Absolute exemption: Personal data s.41 Information provided in confidence s.35(1)(c) Qualified exemption: Advice by Law Officers s.37(1) Qualified … Continue reading Cross v Information Commissioner: FTTGRC 7 Jan 2016

The complainant requested information from Lanteglos by Fowey Parish Council (‘the parish council’). He asked for copies of documents sent by the parish council to Cornwall Council that had resulted in a particular email being sent to him. The parish council initially refused to confirm or deny whether the information was held. It subsequently relied … Continue reading Lanteglos By Fowey Parish Council (Local Government (Parish Council)) FS50566913: ICO 11 Mar 2015

The complainant requested information relating to benefit fraud allegations and investigations from Norwich City Council (‘the council’). The council refused to provide the information, relying on the exemptions under section 40(2) and 41(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the FOIA’). These exemptions relate to personal data and information provided in confidence. The Commissioner’s … Continue reading Norwich City Council (Local Government (City Council)): ICO 25 Jun 2015

The complainant requested information relating to senior post holders at Broxbourne Borough Council. The council supplied some information and withheld other information using the exemption under section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, relating to personal data, and section 21, relating to information that is reasonably accessible by other means. The Commissioner’s decision … Continue reading Broxbourne Borough Council (Decision Notice): ICO 15 Aug 2012

The complainant made a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to the University of Bradford for information held by the University in relation to the use of campus computers to access extremist material in the context of that accessed by four named students together with reports on extremist activity amongst students over the … Continue reading University of Bradford (Decision Notice): ICO 30 Mar 2009

The complainant requested information from Cornwall Council (‘the council’) concerning a particular property. This request was transferred to Cornwall Housing (‘the authority’). The authority provided an initial response but upon internal review said that it had decided that the request was vexatious under section 14(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the FOIA’). The … Continue reading Cornwall Housing (Other): ICO 5 Mar 2015

The complainant asked the public authority for ‘all data pertaining to’ a freedom of information request which he had made previously. The public authority withheld some information under section 42 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the Act’) and the rest under section 36. The Commissioner decided that information had been correctly withheld under … Continue reading Cabinet Office (Decision Notice) FS50173585: ICO 22 Dec 2009

ICO The complainant asked the public authority for a copy of the Cabinet Office’s Manual of Protective Security. The public authority provided some sections of the Manual but withheld other parts, citing the exemptions contained in sections 21(1), 23(1), 24(1), 27(1)(a), 31 and 36(2)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the Act’). After the … Continue reading Cabinet Office (Decision Notice) FS50085720: ICO 22 Dec 2009

ICO The complainant asked for access to all social work records regarding her father, who was deceased. Leicestershire County Council (‘the Council’) refused to provide this information citing the exemptions under section 41(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the FOIA’) and section 40(2). The Commissioner investigated and found that some of the information … Continue reading Leicestershire County Council (Decision Notice): ICO 22 Dec 2009

ICO The complainant asked North Yorkshire Police (‘NYP’) for information about the cost to the force of policing/policing protests at RAF Menwith Hill (‘the base’). NYP refused to provide the information, citing the exemptions contained in sections 24(1), 26(1), 27(1), 31, 36(2), and 38(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. However, NYP subsequently withdrew … Continue reading North Yorkshire Police (Decision Notice): ICO 21 Dec 2006

The complainant made a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) to the Heart of England NHS Trust (the Trust) for a copy of the report into Breast Surgery Practice that was presented to the Board on 29 October 2007 by Mr Ian Cuncliffe, Medical Director for Surgery. The Trust refused the … Continue reading Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (Decision Notice): ICO 13 Jul 2009

The complainant requested information from Gloucester City Council (the council) relating to internet visits on an officer by officer basis, although he did not require individual names or user IDs. The council refused to comply with the request, relying on the exclusion under section 12(1) and the exemption under section 40(2) of the Freedom of … Continue reading Gloucester City Council (Decision Notice): ICO 7 Aug 2013

The complainant requested a large quantity of information from the public authority to assist in his case against dismissal. The Commissioner has determined that some of the information requested was the complainant’s personal data and is exempt under section 40(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). He has referred it for an … Continue reading Brownhills Community Technology College (Decision Notice): ICO 3 Aug 2009

The complainant requested information from the public authority relating to complaints and correspondence about websites he was involved with. The public authority refused to deal with the request on the grounds that it was vexatious, citing section 14(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Commissioner finds that the public authority failed to provide … Continue reading New Milton Town Council (Decision Notice): ICO 22 Aug 2011

The complainant is acting on behalf of the family of a deceased patient (‘Mr A’), and requested a copy of a Root Cause Analysis Report into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Mr A and another patient (‘Ms B’). This request was made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the ‘Act’) to Hertfordshire Partnership … Continue reading Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Trust (Decision Notice): ICO 2 Jun 2008

The complainant requested copies of the legal advice sought by the Department for Communities and Local Government relating to the issue of whether Energy Performance Certificates for private dwellings contain personal data according to the definition in the Data Protection Act 1998. DCLG withheld the legal advice using section 42(1) of the Freedom of Information … Continue reading Department for Communities and Local Government (Decision Notice): ICO 13 Sep 2011

The complainant requested a copy of a medical report written by a Consultant regarding the care of his late mother. This report was written by the Consultant following a visit to her home in 1991. The public authority offered to provide the complainant with a copy of the report under the Access to Health Records … Continue reading Liverpool Womens NHS Foundation Trust (Decision Notice): ICO 19 Feb 2007

ICO The complainant requested information relating to the Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) press relations with the Disability News Service (DNS). The DWP refused to confirm or deny whether information was held, but confirmed that if it was held it would be refused under section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the … Continue reading Department for Work and Pensions (Central Government): ICO 30 Aug 2016

The complainant made a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for specific information relating to an incident involving a patient. The Trust confirmed or denied whether it held that information under section 1(1)(a) of the Act. After considering the case, the Commissioner’s decision is that … Continue reading Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (Decision Notice): ICO 3 Dec 2009

The complainant had made a number of requests to the public authority prior to this case. The first request dealt with in this Decision Notice (the original request’) was for all information which had been redacted from documents released as a result of one of the previous requests on the basis that it was not … Continue reading Department for Culture Media and Sport (Decision Notice): ICO 10 Dec 2009

The complainant requested information from the Charity Commission relating to an investigation carried out by a Receiver and Manager appointed by the Charity Commission into the financial affairs of two registered charities. The Charity Commission did not hold some of the requested information, provided the complainant with some, and refused to disclose the remainder on … Continue reading Charity Commission (Decision Notice): ICO 23 Dec 2009

The complainant made a request for information to the City of Westminster on 19 January 2008 for a copy of all correspondence and documentation regarding the commissioning, production and issuing of a fire risk assessment report. The Council refused to comply with the request on the grounds that it considered it to be vexatious under … Continue reading City of Westminster Council (Decision Notice): ICO 3 Nov 2009

The complainant asked Wolverhampton City Council for a copy of an internal audit report relating to a Council-owned property, the Tettenhall Institute. The Council relied on the exemption under section 30(2)(a)(iii) and considered that the public interest favoured maintaining the exemption. The Commissioner considered that the Council’s arguments were not sufficient to enable him to … Continue reading Wolverhampton City Council (Decision Notice): ICO 31 May 2011

The complainant submitted a request to Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust for the results of an investigation. The public authority refused to disclose the information under section 41 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Commissioner decided that the information that the public authority did hold was exempt from disclosure under section 41(1) … Continue reading Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (Decision Notice): ICO 7 Jan 2010

ICO The complainant requested information relating to polling research regarding the then impending Scottish independence referendum. The Cabinet Office provided some information to the complainant, but refused the remainder under section 22(1)(a) and 35(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). The Cabinet Office also stated that should section 22(1)(a) be overturned there … Continue reading Cabinet Office (Central Government) FS50558880: ICO 30 Sep 2015

The complainant requested information relating to the Council’s decision to end the Stamford Scholarship Scheme. The Council supplied some information but it refused to provide copies of legal advice and cited the exemption under section 42(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. It said that the public interest did not favour disclosure of the … Continue reading Lincolnshire County Council (Decision Notice): ICO 16 Jun 2011

ICO The complainant requested copies of any documentation held by the Department of Health referring to the Director of Public Health at Norwich Primary Care Trust, and relating to Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, between specific dates. Although some information was disclosed, some was withheld under sections 36(2)(b)(i) and (ii), and 40. During the course of … Continue reading Department of Health (Decision Notice): ICO 15 Dec 2008

ICO The complainant made a request to the Department of Health regarding the release of details of abortion statistics for 2003, where those abortions had been carried out under ‘ground (e)’. This request was made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Some information had already been published by the DoH in the annual abortion … Continue reading Department of Health (Decision Notice): ICO 28 Jul 2008

The complainant requested information relating to data protection training given to particular staff members at Oxfordshire County Council (‘the council’). The council refused to provide the specific information, citing the exemption under section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This exemption relates to personal data. The complainant complained to the Commissioner that it … Continue reading Oxfordshire County Council (Decision Notice): ICO 6 Aug 2013

ICO Decision Notice: The complainant requested the address of every empty residential property in the London Borough of Camden in which a non-individual is listed as either being the owner or as having a material interest in the property. The London Borough of Camden (‘the Council’) refused to provide the information, citing the exemption under … Continue reading Camden Council (Decision Notice): ICO 21 Dec 2010

ICO The complainant requested the geographical equivalent number(s) behind a 0845 number under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The public authority confirmed that it held the information, but that it would not provide it because it felt that section 36(2)(c) [disclosure would prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs] applied to the information. It … Continue reading Department for Work and Pensions (Decision Notice): ICO 23 Aug 2011

ICO The complainant requested copies of correspondence exchanged between The Prince of Wales and the Secretary of State at the public authority over a three year period. The complainant also requested a list and schedule of this correspondence. The public authority confirmed that it held information falling within the scope of the request but refused … Continue reading Department of Health (Decision Notice): ICO 7 Mar 2011

ICO The complainant has requested information relating to the Honours nomination process. The Department for Education (DfE) refused to provide the requested information under section 37(1)(b), 40(2) and 40(4) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). The Commissioner’s decision is that the DfE has correctly applied section 37(1)(b) in this case. The Commissioner requires … Continue reading Department for Education (Decision Notice): ICO 26 Sep 2012

ICO The complainant asked Greater Manchester Police (the ‘public authority’) to provide information relating to interpreters. The public authority refused to deal with the request on the grounds that it was vexatious, citing section 14(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Commissioner finds that the public authority failed to provide adequate reasons that … Continue reading Greater Manchester Police (Decision Notice): ICO 15 Sep 2011

The complainant made an information request to Nottingham City Council. Despite the intervention of the Commissioner, Nottingham City Council has not provided a response to this request in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Commissioner therefore reminds Nottingham City Council of its obligations and requires that it either complies with the request … Continue reading Nottingham City Council (Decision Notice): ICO 26 Jul 2011

ICO The complainant asked the public authority for information about when it and Treasury ministers had first become aware of identity fraud in the Tax Credit system, and for any estimates of suspected identity . .

The complainant made a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the ‘Act’) to Liverpool Hope University (the ‘university’) for information relating to enrolment of students at the university and refunds made for fees paid by students who . .

The complainant requested a number of food hygiene inspection reports from Pembrokeshire County Council (the ‘Council’). The report was withheld on the basis that the information was part of an ongoing investigation by the Council. It therefore . .

The complainant requested, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, some of the relevant correspondence generated in consideration of complaints that she and her father had submitted to the PHSO. The PHSO replied that some of the information . .