Information Commissioner's Office

---

You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> Information Commissioner's Office >> Department of Health and Social Care (Central government) [2019] UKICO fs50787920 (16 April 2019)
URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKICO/2019/fs50787920.html
Cite as: [2019] UKICO fs50787920

---

[New search] [Printable PDF version] [Help]

---

Department of Health and Social Care

The complainant has requested information from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) about the reimbursement prices of bicalutamide 50mg tablets and the manufacturers and wholesalers providing data for Category M drugs. The information was initially withheld by the DHSC under section 43(2) commercial interests. At a much later date the internal review cited section 12(1) of the FOIA – the cost of compliance and withdrew its reliance on section 43(2). The Commissioner’s decision is that the DHSC has not demonstrated that compliance with the request would exceed the appropriate limit and is therefore not entitled to rely on section 12(1). The DHSC breached section 16 of the FOIA, as it failed to provide the complainant with advice and assistance in order to understand what information the complainant was seeking. The DHSC also failed to comply with section 17(5) in that it did not provide a refusal notice citing its reliance on section 12 within 20 working days of receiving the request. The Commissioner requires the public authority to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation: Issue a fresh response to the request which does not rely on section 12(1) of the Act.

FOI 16: Complaint upheld FOI 12: Complaint upheld FOI 17(5): Complaint upheld

Decision notice: fs50787920