The complainant has requested information relating to a complaint made in 2012 by Jack Dromey MP to Andrew Dilnot, Chair of the UK Statistics Authority. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) refused the request under the exemption for information accessible via other means, the exemption for ministerial communications, the exemption for information regarding the formulation and development of government policy and a number of subsections of the exemption for prejudice to the effective conduct of public affairs. During the course of the Commissioner’s investigation DCLG withdrew its reliance all the exemptions except for that relating to the formulation and development of government policy. It also confirmed that some of the information was being withheld under the exemption for personal information. The Commissioner’s decision is that DCLG has not demonstrated that the exemption for information relating to the formulation and development of government policy is engaged. In relation to the personal data of junior officers contained within the requested information, the Commissioner finds that DCLG has correctly applied section 40(2) to withhold the information. The Commissioner requires the public authority to disclose all the requested information, except for the personal data of junior officers.
Section of Act/EIR and Finding: FOI 35 – Complaint Upheld, FOI 40 – Complaint Not upheld
[2013] UKICO FS50466182
Bailii
England and Wales
Information
Updated: 06 December 2021; Ref: scu.528049
