Stephen Plowden or Foreign and Commonwealth Office v IC (Freedom of Information Act 2000) [2012] UKFTT EA_2011_0225 (GRC) (22 May 2012)

Stephen Plowden or Foreign and Commonwealth Office v IC (Freedom of Information Act 2000) [2012] UKFTT EA_2011_0225 (GRC) (22 May 2012)

The Tribunal held that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was entitled to rely on the exemption under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosure.

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2012] UKFTT EA_2011_0225 (GRC)
Parties
Applicant: Stephen Plowden; Appellant: Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Respondent: Information Commissioner
Jurisdiction
United Kingdom
Judgment Date
22 May 2012
Procedural Posture
Appeal / Final Judgment
Outcome
appeal allowed
Legal Topics
Freedom of Information, Public Interest Test, Exemptions Under FOIA
Information Law Administrative Law Freedom of Information Public Interest Test Exemptions Under FOIA

Source-derived case record

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Stephen Plowden

Applicant

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Appellant

Information Commissioner

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Appeal / Final Judgment

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was entitled to refuse disclosure of information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
  2. 2 Whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosure

Ratio Decidendi

The Tribunal held that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was entitled to rely on the exemption under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosure.

Court Disposition

appeal allowed

Orders

  • The decision of the Information Commissioner is set aside
  • The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not required to disclose the requested information