The complainant requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the ‘Act’) the workplace email addresses of all of the University’s staff. The University confirmed that it held the information, but believed that it was exempt. It argued that the information was already available on its website and explained that section 21(1) [information reasonable accessible to the applicant] applied. It was asked to conduct an internal review and revised its position in that it said section 21(1) applied to some of the addresses and section 40(2) [third party personal data] applied to the others. The complainant then referred this case to the Commissioner. During the course of his investigation, the University provided evidence that it was now relying on section 36(2)(c) [information would prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs]. The Commissioner finds that section 36(2)(c) was engaged and that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest favoured the maintenance of the exemption over the disclosure of the information. He has therefore not been required to make a formal decision about the operation of either section 21(1) or section 40(2). He has found procedural breaches of sections 17(1)(b) and section 17(3), but requires no remedial steps to be taken.
Section of Act/EIR and Finding: FOI 17 – Complaint Upheld, FOI 36 – Complaint Not upheld
Citations:
[2011] UKICO FS50318502
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Information
Updated: 04 June 2022; Ref: scu.530464
