Central government
The complainant asked for information contained in communications between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (the ‘FCO’) and the Foreign Press Association (the ‘FPA’) and information relating to the suspension of financial support for the FPA. The FCO delayed in replying to this request for around a year and then said that it held no relevant information. Following further discussion the FCO established that it did hold a small amount of information and agreed to release some of it to the FPA: other information was withheld under section 35(1)(a). The Commissioner found the FCO to be in breach of sections 1, 10 and 17 of the Freedom of Information Act (the’Act’), for which it was strongly criticised. The Commissioner upheld the FCO’s decision to withhold the remaining information under section 35(1)(a). An appeal was made to the Tribunal but later withdrawn.
FOI 1: Upheld
[2007] UKICO FS50109149
Bailii
England and Wales
Information
Updated: 15 December 2021; Ref: scu.532882