Information Commissioner's Office

Department of Health

1 June 2016, Central government

The complainant has requested minutes and the name of attendees at a particular meeting between the Jeremey Hunt and Alliance Boots. 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 four 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 four individuals the DoH has correctly applied section 40(2) to withhold.

FOI 35(1)(d): Upheld FOI 40(2): Not upheld