10 August 2016, Central government
The complainant requested a copy of a file listed by the National Archives, but retained by the Home Office, concerning a request from the Garda Siochana to the Metropolitan Police for the services of an executioner. The Home Office disclosed some of this information, but withheld the remainder under the exemption provided by section 27(1)(a) (prejudice to international relations) of the FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Home Office cited section 27(1)(a) correctly so it was not obliged to disclose the withheld content. The Commissioner also found, however, that the Home Office breached section 17(1) of the FOIA by failing to respond to the request within 20 working days of receipt.
FOI 17: Upheld FOI 27: Not upheld