Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

The complainant submitted a request to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) seeking copies of internal paperwork regarding the investigation into the behaviour of the then Minister of State Christopher Pincher MP. The FCDO confirmed that it held information but withheld this on the basis of sections 36(2)(c) (effective conduct of public affairs), 40(2) (personal data) and 41(1) (information provided in confidence) of FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that the information withheld by virtue of section 40(2) is exempt from disclosure on the basis of this exemption. However, the Commissioner has concluded that the information withheld from disclosure on the basis of section 36(2)(c) is not exempt from disclosure on the basis of this exemption. The Commissioner has also concluded that the FCDO breached section 17(1) given its delays in responding to this request. Information Tribunal FT/EA/2024/0246 under appeal.