The complainant has requested demographic information about successful applicants to a clinical psychology traineeship. The Council of the University of Exeter provided some information but withheld the remainder relying on section 40(2) of the FOIA (third party personal data) in order to do so. The Commissioner’s decision is that the University holds no further information within the scope of the first three elements of the request. In respect of the fourth element, it was not entitled to rely on section 40(2) to withhold information, although it does not hold some of the information which has been requested. In failing to inform the complainant, within 20 working days, that it did not hold some of the requested information, the University also breached section 10(1) of the FOIA. Finally, the University failed to comply with its section 16 obligation to provide advice and assistance. The Commissioner requires the University to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation: disclose the information it holds in respect of elements (4.1), (4.2), (4.3) and (4.5).
FOI 10: Complaint upheld FOI 40(2): Complaint upheld FOI 16: Complaint upheld FOI 1: Complaint not upheld
Citations:
[2021] UKICO IC-50501
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Information
Updated: 23 August 2022; Ref: scu.662903