The British Museum

The complainant has requested the British Museum (the museum) to disclose information relating to the Thomas Gann related acquisitions. It disclosed some information, confirmed that it did not hold other information and refused to disclose what it had already provided the complainant in response to an earlier request and any other information already accessible to them under section 21 of FOIA (section 14(2) of FOIA was initially claimed for some of this information, but this was later withdrawn in preference of section 21). The Commissioner’s decision is that the museum is entitled to rely on section 21 of FOIA where that has been applied. It is also the Commissioner’s decision that on the balance of probabilities the museum does not hold any further recorded information. He has however found a breach of section 1(1)(b) and 10 of FOIA. The Commissioner does not require further steps to be taken.