Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

The complainant has requested information concerning meetings between Thames Water and the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and a round table meeting with Defra. Defra provided some information in a redacted form, applying regulations 12(4)(e) – internal communications - and 12(5)(e) – confidentiality of commercial and industrial information - of the EIR to the withheld information. The Commissioner’s decision is that regulation 12(4)(e) of the EIR is engaged but that the public interest favours the disclosure of some of the withheld information. He does not accept that regulation 12(5)(e) of the EIR is engaged. The Commissioner requires Defra to take the following steps to ensure compliance with the legislation.