Summary: The complainant has requested the salary paid to the Chief Executive of NHS Surrey as well as a monthly salary breakdown of benefits, expenses, pension contributions and total remuneration. NHS Surrey initially refused to provide any information for the 2011-12 year as it was to be published in its upcoming Annual Report and was therefore exempt under section 22 of the FOIA. The remaining information was withheld on the basis of section 40(2). The Commissioner-™s decision is that section 22 is not engaged but section 40(2) does apply and provides a valid basis for withholding this information. The Commissioner also found that the refusal notice breached the requirements of section 17 of the FOIA. This decision notice is currently under appeal to the Information Tribunal.
Section of Act/EIR & Finding: FOI 17 - Complaint Upheld, FOI 40 - Complaint Not upheld