Information Commissioner's Office

Department for Work and Pensions

29 July 2008, Central government

The complainant submitted six requests to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for information about the benefits payable to those in polygamous marriages, including information used for the preparation of parliamentary questions on the this subject. The DWP provided some information in response to these requests but withheld further documents on the basis of sections 35(1)(a), 35(1)(d), 36(2)(b), 36(2)(c) and 42(1). Having reviewed the withheld information, the Commissioner accepts that this information falls within the scope of the various exemptions cited by the DWP. The Commissioner accepts that for the application of all of these exemptions the public interest favours withholding the requested information. The only exception is a small piece of information which falls within the scope of section 35(1)(a) for which the Commissioner has concluded that the public interest in maintaining the exemption does not outweigh the public interest in disclosure.

FOI 35: Partly upheld FOI 35: Not upheld FOI 36: Not upheld