Summary: The complainant submitted six requests to the Home Office all of which focused on some aspect of its role in licensing establishments to carry out testing on animals. The Home Office refused to confirm or deny whether it held information falling within the scope of three of these requests on the basis of section 44(2) of FOIA. In relation to the remaining requests the Home Office either provided information it did hold, or explained that no information was held. The complainant disputes the application of section 44(2) and in relation to the three remaining requests either disputes the Home Office-™s position that no recorded information is held or argues that further recorded information is in fact held. The Commissioner is satisfied that section 44(2) has been applied correctly and in relation to the three further requests is satisfied that no further recorded information is held by the Home Office. However, the Commissioner has concluded that the Home Office breached section 17(7)(a) in providing a defective refusal notice.
Section of Act/EIR & Finding: FOI 1 - Complaint Not upheld, FOI 17 - Complaint Upheld, FOI 44 - Complaint Not upheld