The complainant has requested information about communications exchanged over a one-year period between a regional group of the Department for Education (DfE) and a named education provider, and with the office of a senior official of DfE, concerning governance. DfE has refused to either confirm or deny whether it holds the requested information under section 36(3) of FOIA (prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs). It considers the public interest favours maintaining this position. The Commissioner’s decision is as follows: 
•    DfE is entitled to rely on section 36(3) to neither confirm nor deny whether it holds information falling within the terms of the request, and the balance of the public interest favours maintaining this exemption. 
The Commissioner does not require any steps.