13 June 2007, Central government
The complainant asked for copies of original submissions with copies of receipts, rental agreements, or mortgage interest statements from six named MPs in 2001/2, 2002/3 and 2003/4 under the Additional Costs Allowance. The House of Commons refused the request on the grounds that it was personal data and that disclosure would be unfair. The Commissioner found that the House does not hold rental agreements or mortgage interest statements in respect of all the six named MPs. The Commissioner decided that the requested information is personal data and that its fully itemised disclosure would be unfair. However he has decided that it would not contravene the data protection principles to disclose information showing the totals paid under specified headings within the Additional Costs Allowance. He has therefore ordered disclosure of the total amounts claimed by reference to each of these headings. An appeal was made to the Information Tribunal, but the appeal was dismissed.
FOI 1: Upheld