Latest updates - last updated 21 August 2023
21 August 2023 - We have added the Keeping internal consultations on FOI requests timely and transparent resource to the Further reading section.
This guidance covers regulation 12(4)(e), the exception for internal communications, in detail, and is written for use by public authorities. Read it if you have questions not answered in the Guide, or if you need a deeper understanding to help you apply the exception in practice.
In detail
- What do the EIR say?
- About this exception
- What are internal communications?
- What is a communication?
- What does internal mean?
- Are communications between central government departments internal?
- What about executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and wholly-owned companies?
- Are communications between public authorities internal?
- Are communications with a third party internal?
- What about communications sent both internally and externally?
- Are communications which record third party information internal?
- What about forwarded communications and attachments?
- How does the exception work with emails and email chains?
- The public interest test
- Further reading
Latest updates
13 October 2022 - We have updated the guidance to reflect that the fact that an issue being “live” does not always favour maintaining the exception, regardless of the sensitivity of the information. This can be found in Public Interest Test – Safe Space Arguments.