Summary: The complainant requested from DEFRA the conflict of interest register for its top thirty civil servants by pay grade for 2010, 2005 and 2000 limiting his request to information relating to declared financial interests. DEFRA replied that it did not hold any relevant recorded information. After an internal review, the complaint was then referred to the Information Commissioner (-˜the Commissioner) and the complainant agreed to withdraw the parts that concerned the 2000 register. The Commissioner finds that: for the 2010 register -“ it held a register, but that it had no relevant entries and no other information that was relevant; and for the 2005 register -“ it did not hold a register. However, it potentially did hold the components that make up a register, but it would exceed the costs limits to determine whether it does. The Commissioner therefore has accepted that DEFRA has applied section 12(2) appropriately to the 2005 information. The Commissioner has found procedural breaches of sections 1(1)(a) and 17(5), but requires no remedial steps to be taken in this case. Information Tribunal appeal EA/2011/0275 struck out.
Section of Act/EIR & Finding: FOI 12 - Complaint Not upheld, FOI 17 - Complaint Upheld