The complainant requested information relating to the correspondence between the then Home Secretary and Professor Nutt, Chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, regarding the Professor’s resignation. The Home Office advised the complainant where some of the requested information could be found in the public domain. With respect to the remainder, it confirmed it held the requested information, but refused to provide it on the basis that it was exempt from disclosure by virtue of sections 36 (prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs) and 42 (legal professional privilege). After investigating the case the Commissioner decided that the information had been correctly withheld. However, he identified a series of procedural shortcomings on the part of the public authority.
Section of Act/EIR and Finding: FOI 17 – Complaint Upheld, FOI 36 – Complaint Not upheld, FOI 42 – Complaint Not upheld
Citations:
[2011] UKICO FS50305665
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Information
Updated: 11 June 2022; Ref: scu.530339