Information Commissioner's Office

Summary: The complainant made a request to the public authority for information regarding animal research. The public authority responded to the request by informing the complainant that some of the information was not held and that where information was held it was being refused under section 38(1)(b) of the Act (Health and Safety). The public authority upheld its decision to refuse the request at the internal review stage. The Commissioner has considered the complaint and has found that some of the information which the public authority refused to disclose was not exempt under section 38(1)(b). For some information the Commissioner has found that the section 38(1)(b) is engaged and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure. The Commissioner now requires the public authority to disclose the information he has decided is not exempt within 35 calendar days of the date of this notice.
Section of Act/EIR & Finding: FOI 10 - Complaint Upheld, FOI 38 - Complaint Partly Upheld