Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

The complainant has requested information relating to the AI tools the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) intended to publish via the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard hub. DWP confirmed that it did not hold some of the information and the complainant does not dispute this. DWP withheld the information that was held on the basis of section 22(1). The Commissioner’s decision is that DWP is not entitled to rely on section 22(1) to withhold this information. The Commissioner considers, however, that a small amount of this information does engage section 21, information reasonably accessible to the applicant, as this had been published by the time of DWP’s response. The Commissioner requires DWP to disclose the list of all AI tools DWP plans to place on the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standards Hub with the exception of the information already published. The public authority must take these steps within 30 calendar days of the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court pursuant to section 54 of the Act and may be dealt with as a contempt of court.