Information Commissioner's Office

HM Revenue and Customs

27 January 2016, Central government

The complainant has requested copies of complaints made against the Adjudicator’s Office. The Adjudicator’s Office is administratively part of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). It refused the request for information, relying on FOIA section 44 – prohibitions on disclosure. During the course of the Commissioner’s investigation, HMRC disclosed some information falling within the scope of the request. The Commissioner notes however that this information was disclosed outside of the statutory time limit for response and accordingly HMRC has breached section 10 of the FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that HMRC (and therefore The Adjudicator’s Office) was entitled to rely on section 44(1)(a) to refuse to disclose the remainder of the information falling within the scope of this request. No steps are required.

FOI 10: Upheld FOI 44: Not upheld