Department of Education Northern Ireland

The complainant has requested information relating to the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA). The Department of Education for Northern Ireland (“the public authority”) refused the request, citing section 14(1) of FOIA (vexatious request). The Commissioner’s decision is that the request isn’t vexatious and the public authority wasn’t entitled to rely upon section 14(1) to refuse it. The Commissioner requires the public authority to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation: either disclose the information or provide a response to the request that doesn’t rely upon section 14(1).