Northern Ireland Office

The complainant requested information relating to communications between the UK Government and the Provisional IRA during the 1981 hunger strike. The NIO withheld some information under section 27 of the Act. The NIO refused to confirm or deny whether it held further information, citing the exemptions at sections 23 and 24. The Commissioner finds that the section 27 exemption has been correctly applied, and the information should not be disclosed. Further, the Commissioner finds that the NIO acted correctly in refusing to confirm or deny whether it held further information in reliance on sections 23 and 24. Therefore the Commissioner requires no further steps to be taken.