Information Commissioner's Office

BBC

27 February 2008, Other

The complainant requested information on the salaries of a number of named BBC Northern Ireland presenters as well as information relating the in house production costs and the cost paid to an independent production company. The BBC refused to provide this information on the basis that it was held for the purpose of journalism, art or literature. During the course of the investigation the BBC also sought to rely on exemptions under the Act to withhold the information. The Commissioner has investigated and concluded that the BBC misapplied the Schedule 1 derogation and that the information requested falls within the scope of the Act. The Commissioner investigated the BBC’s application of the exemptions and found that the salaries of the presenters are exempt under section 40 of the Act. The Commissioner also found that some of the information was exempt under section 43 and that the public interest favoured maintaining this exemption. However, the Commissioner found the remaining withheld information was not exempt and should therefore be provided to the complainant within 35 calendar days of this notice. This decision is currently under appeal to the Information Tribunal.

FOI 17: Upheld