Summary: The complainant submitted a request to the Cabinet Office which sought details of the information provided to the UK by the Saudi Government, prior to the July 7 2005 terrorist attacks, about expected terrorist attacks in the UK. The Cabinet Office confirmed that it held information falling within the scope of the request but it considered it to be exempt from disclosure by virtue of section 23(1) of the Act. The Commissioner is satisfied that the Cabinet Office was correct to withhold this information on the basis of section 23(1). However, the Commissioner has also concluded that the Cabinet Office breached section 10(1) by failing to confirm within 20 working days that it held this information and furthermore also breached section 17(1) by failing to issue a refusal notice citing section 23 within the same time period.
Section of Act/EIR & Finding: FOI 10 - Complaint Upheld, FOI 17 - Complaint Upheld, FOI 23 - Complaint Not upheld