Information Commissioner's Office

Charity Commission

9 September 2014, Local government (Other)

The complainant has requested information relating to the Charity Commission’s consideration of concerns raised about the registered charity Imamia Mission London (UK). The Charity Commission explained that some of the specified information was no longer retained. For the material it did hold, the Charity Commission provided some of the information but advised the remaining items were variously subject to the exemptions to disclosure provided by sections 21 (information accessible by other means), 31(1)(g) (law enforcement) and 40(2) (personal data) of FOIA. The complainant has asked the Commissioner to consider whether the Charity Commission correctly withheld 14 of these documents under section 31(1)(g) and in part section 40(2). The Commissioner’s decision is that each of the documents engages section 31(1)(g) by virtue of sections 31(2)(c) and (f) and that the balance of the public interest favours maintaining the exemption. The effect of the finding is that the Charity Commission is not required to take any steps to ensure compliance with FOIA, which has also meant that the Commissioner has not had to go on to consider the application of section 40(2).

FOI 31: Not upheld