Information Commissioner's Office

Department for Work and Pensions

8 June 2015, Central government

The complainant has requested information regarding emails at a Job Centre. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) relied on section 12 of the FOIA not to meet the request. The Commissioner’s decision is that DWP is entitled to refuse the request under section 12. However, it has breached section 16 of the Act by not providing assistance on how the complainant could reduce the scope of his request so that it comes within the appropriate limit. The Commissioner requires the public authority to provide the complainant with reasonable assistance on how to limit the scope of his request so that it can be complied with within the appropriate limit. The public authority must take these steps within 35 calendar days of the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court pursuant to section 54 of the Act and may be dealt with as a contempt of court.

FOI 12: Not upheld FOI 16: Upheld