ICO The complainant made a freedom of information request to the Department for Work and Pensions for the amount of tax payers’ money it spent on surveillance and/or investigation in Thailand. The Department for Work and Pensions has refused to confirm or deny if it holds the requested information by relying on section 31(3) and 31(1)(a) of FOIA on the grounds that confirming or denying if the information is held would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime. The Commissioner has investigated the complaint and found that section 31(3) is engaged and that the public interest in maintaining the exclusion of the duty to confirm or deny outweighs the public interest in disclosing if the information is held. The Commissioner requires no steps to be taken.
Section of Act/EIR and Finding: FOI 31 – Complaint Not upheld
[2013] UKICO FS50494572
Bailii
England and Wales
Information
Updated: 06 December 2021; Ref: scu.528653