Information Commissioner's Office

Cabinet Office

20 July 2016, Central government

The complainant has requested seven Iraq related documents dating from the year prior to the Iraq war in March 2003.  The Cabinet Office refused to disclose the majority of the requested information in reliance on section 22 (information intended for future publication).  The remainder of the (non-section 22) information was withheld under sections 27(1)(international relations), 23(1)(information supplied by, or relating to, bodies dealing with security matters) and section 24(1)(national security).  The Commissioner’s decision is that the Cabinet Office was entitled to rely on all the maintained exemptions to refuse the request. The Commissioner does not require the Cabinet Office to take any further steps.

FOI 22: Not upheld FOI 23: Not upheld FOI 24: Not upheld FOI 27: Not upheld