Information Commissioner's Office

Summary: The complainant requested information about meetings and external correspondence involving Mark Harper, Minister for political and constitutional reform, on the subject of the proposed statutory register of lobbyists. The Cabinet Office initially refused to disclose the information relying on section 22(1) and section 35(1)(a). It later claimed a reliance on sections 40(2), 41(1)(a) and 21(1) and withdrew its reliance on section 35(1)(a). The Commissioner finds that the Cabinet Office was incorrect to rely on section 41(1)(a) and 40(2) in respect of some of the information. He also found that Section 21(1) was applied incorrectly. The Commissioner finds that the Cabinet Office also failed to comply with section 17(1)(a), (b) and (c). The Commissioner requires the Cabinet Office to disclose certain information indicated in this notice.
Section of Act/EIR & Finding: FOI 10 - Complaint Upheld, FOI 17 - Complaint Upheld, FOI 21 - Complaint Upheld, FOI 40 - Complaint Partly Upheld, FOI 41 - Complaint Partly Upheld