Information Commissioner's Office

Department of Health

16 June 2016, Central government

The complainant has requested minutes and the name of attendees at a particular meeting between Jeremy Hunt and a group of health organisations. The DoH stated no minutes were held but considered the names of attendees should be withheld on the basis of section 35(1)(d) of the FOIA or section 40(2) for a limited number of the attendees. The Commissioner’s decision is that although the section 35(1)(d) exemption is engaged the public interest favours disclosure. The Commissioner does accept that section 40(2) has been correctly applied to withhold the names of two individuals that the DoH has specified. The Commissioner requires the public authority to disclose the names of the attendees at the meeting with the exception of the names of the two individuals the DoH has correctly applied section 40(2) to withhold.

FOI 40: Not upheld EIR 35(1)(d): Upheld