Information Commissioner's Office

Electoral Commission

13 January 2015, Central government

The complainant has requested information relating to an investigation by the Electoral Commission (EC) from 2010 into donations made by Bearwood Corporate Services (Bearwood) to the Conservative Party. That investigation examined whether the donations were within the rules set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (PPERA). The EC refused the request citing the exemptions provided by section 30(1) – investigations and proceedings, section 31(1)(g) – law enforcement, section 40(2) – personal information, section 41 – information provided in confidence and section 42 – legal professional privilege. The Commissioner’s decision is that the EC correctly withheld all the information falling within the scope of the request under section 30(1). He has therefore not gone onto to consider the application of the other exemptions. The EC is not required to take any further action in this matter.

FOI 30: Not upheld