The complainant made a freedom of information request to the BBC for copies of correspondence regarding the BBC pension scheme. The BBC had initially withheld some information from the complainant under the section 43 (commercial interests) exemption. During the course of the Commissioner’s investigation the BBC disclosed some further information to the complainant but some information was redacted and withheld under the section 36 (prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs) exemption which the BBC now sought to apply for the first time. The complainant also complained that the BBC had failed to identify all of the information falling within the scope of the request. The Commissioner has investigated the complaint and found that the BBC has disclosed all of the information it holds falling within the scope of the request with the exception of the redacted information. This information has been withheld under sections 36(2)(b)(ii) and 36(2)(c) and the Commissioner finds that the exemptions apply and the public interest in maintaining each exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure. The Commissioner requires no steps to be taken.
Section of Act/EIR and Finding: FOI 1 – Complaint Not upheld, FOI 36 – Complaint Not upheld
Citations:
[2013] UKICO FS50464407
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Information
Updated: 09 May 2022; Ref: scu.528533