The complainant requested information about the children of Foreign and Commonwealth (‘FCO’) employees in relation to their private schooling and the associated costs. Part of his request was for the numbers of pupils attending named private schools whose fees were being paid for by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which was refused on the basis of the exemption in section 38(1)(b) (endangerment to safety). During the Commissioner’s investigation the FCO also sought to rely on section 40(2) (personal information). The Commissioner’s decision is that neither exemption engaged. The Commissioner requires the public authority to disclose the numbers of FCO’s employees’ children being paid for by the FCO at each of the named private schools in the 2010/11 financial year. This decision notice is currently under appeal to the Information Tribunal.
Section of Act/EIR and Finding: FOI 38 – Complaint Upheld, FOI 40 – Complaint Upheld
[2012] UKICO FS50421666
Bailii
England and Wales
Updated: 07 September 2021; Ref: scu.529626