21 July 2016, Central government
The complainant requested information relating to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed it held the requested information but refused to provide it citing sections 27(1) and 27(2) of the FOIA (international relations). The Commissioner’s decision is that the information is exempt from disclosure on the basis of section 27(1)(a) of the FOIA and that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest favours maintaining the exemption. The Commissioner did not proceed to consider the MoJ’s application of section 27(2) to the same information. The Commissioner does not require the MoJ to take any steps as a result of this decision.
FOI 27: Not upheld