Information Commissioner's Office

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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> Information Commissioner's Office >> Cabinet Office (Central government) [2024] UKICO 248664 (19 February 2024)
URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKICO/2024/248664.html
Cite as: [2024] UKICO 248664

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Cabinet Office

The complainant has requested correspondence between the then Prince of Wales and Tony Blair regarding the foot and mouth disease crisis. The Cabinet Office (“CO”) denied holding any environmental information within the scope of the request. It refused to confirm or deny whether it held any non-environmental information within the scope of the request and cited the relevant provisions of section 37 (Communications with the Sovereign etc) of FOIA. It upheld this at internal review. The Commissioner’s decision is that the CO is correct when it says it holds no environmental information within the scope of the request. He has also decided that the CO is entitled to rely on section 37(2) as its basis for doing refusing to confirm or deny whether it holds non-environmental information within the scope of the request by virtue of section 37(1)(aa). However, the CO failed in its obligations to the complainant under section 16 of FOIA to provide adequate advice and assistance. It also failed to comply with its obligations under regulation 9 (advice and assistance) and regulation 11 (internal review) of the EIR.

FOI 37(2) : Complaint not upheld EIR 12(4)(a): Complaint not upheld

Decision notice: 248664