Information Commissioner's Office

Central Office of Information

3 December 2008, Central government

The complainant contacted the Commissioner to complain about the Central Office of Information’s (COI) handling of his request for information relating to its evaluation of assessments of reprographics service providers. The complainant appealed against the withholding of some of this information under section 43 of the Act (Commercial interests); and the assertion that no further information beyond this was held. The Commissioner investigated the case and decided that section 43 was appropriately engaged and that the balance of the public interest favours the maintenance of the exemption. He is also satisfied that no further information was held by COI which falls within the scope of request at the time it was submitted. However, in its handling of the request, the Commissioner found the COI to have breached a number of procedural provisions of the Act under section 1 (General right of access to information held by public authorities) and section 17 (Refusal of request). Information Tribunal appeal EA/2008/0097 allowed.

FOI 1: Upheld FOI 17: Upheld FOI 43: Not upheld