The complainant requested copies of emails referred to in a report by the Commissioner for Local Administration in Wales. The council released the information but redacted the names of the senders and recipients who were employees of the authority, arguing that the names were not material to the request and exempt under section 40(2) of the Act (Personal Data). The Commissioner has viewed the information in question and decided that the names do fall within the scope of the request. He has concluded that while the names did constitute ‘personal data’ in accordance with section 1(1) of the Data Protection Act 1998 their release under FOI would not breach any of the data protection principles. The public authority had therefore applied the Act inappropriately in seeking to rely on the exemption.
Section of Act/EIR and Finding: FOI 40 – Complaint Upheld
[2006] UKICO FS50069498
Bailii
England and Wales
Updated: 17 August 2021; Ref: scu.533471 br>