Information Commissioner's Office

Natural England

11 May 2015, Education (Other)

The complainant has requested a copy of a complaint received by the Environment Agency about the management and use of a particular site. The Environment Agency considered this was excepted information under the ‘voluntary supply of information’ (regulation 12(5)(f)) and ‘third party personal data’ (regulation 13) exceptions in the EIR. With regard to the application of regulation 12(5)(f), which is qualified by the public interest test, the Environment Agency found that on balance the public interest favoured withholding the requested information. The Commissioner’s decision is that regulation 12(5)(f) is engaged and that in all the circumstances the public interest in favour of maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosure. The Commissioner has not therefore gone on to consider the application of regulation 13 and does not require the Environment Agency to take any steps as a result of this notice.

EIR 12(5)(f): Not upheld