Information Commissioner's Office

Cabinet Office

2 July 2008, Central government

The complainant submitted a request for information held by the Cabinet Office about the so-called ‘Shrewsbury Two’. The Cabinet Office explained that a file originating in the Cabinet Office relating to papers about the ‘Shrewsbury Two’ had been transferred to the National Archives and is open and available for inspection. The Cabinet Office also explained that it has retained a small amount of information, but it considered this information exempt from disclosure on the basis of section 23 of the Act. The Commissioner has concluded that the Cabinet Office were correct to withhold this information on the basis of section 23. However, the Commissioner has also concluded that in handling this request the Cabinet Office failed to provide a refusal notice compliant with section 17 of the Act. This decision notice is currently under appeal to the Information Tribunal.

FOI 23: Not upheld FOI 17: Upheld