The complainant has requested information on the costs to the ICO of the provision of legal services by outside bodies. The ICO has withheld the information it holds under section 40(2) (personal data) and 43 of the FOIA (commercial interests) and considers the public interest favours maintaining the section 43 exemption. Regarding section 43, the complainant considers that there is greater public interest in releasing the information he has requested, than in withholding it. The Commissioner’s decision is as follows: The withheld information engages the exemption under section 43(2) of the FOIA and, in line with section 2(2)(b), the public interest favours withholding the requested information under this exemption. The ICO breached section 17(1) as it did not refuse the request within the required timescale of 20 working days. The Commissioner does not require the ICO to take any remedial steps.
FOI 17: Complaint upheld FOI 43: Complaint not upheld
Citations:
[2020] UKICO fs50856917
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Information
Updated: 24 November 2022; Ref: scu.653439