Freedom of Information responses

Publication of freedom of information request responses

Purpose: To publish responses to freedom of information requests made to public authorities under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

Publication is on a discretionary basis and responses will only be published where there is a wider public interest in the request and response. All applicants are notified that their request and the response may be published and no response will be published before it is issued to an applicant.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of when responses to freedom of information requests will not be published, however all requests will be considered on a case by case basis to which other factors may be relevant.

We will not publish responses in the following circumstances:

1. When we consider that the freedom of information request relates to a private interest rather than the wider public interest
2. When publishing the freedom of information request would contravene any of the data protection principles
3. When a request is for an applicant’s own personal data and the request is dealt with under the Data Protection Act 2002 as a subject access request
4. When, following redaction, the response provides no context or meaning to the request and response or where the request is not yet complete
5. When the information requested is already publicly available
6. When the request is a repeat request and is identical or significantly similar to a request already published or in circumstances where the request has been withdrawn
7. Where the request contains language that is abusive, aggressive or intemperate or is targeted towards a particular employee or it contains personal grudges or unfounded accusations
8. Where an internal review has been requested prior to publication and the outcome is unknown
9. When there may be business constraints or overriding priorities of the public authority or Government Technology Services that affect the timing of publication
10. If it is not reasonably practicable to publish the information because of the format of the information