Department for Education

The complainant wrote to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (now the Department for Education) and requested various pieces of information regarding the ContactPoint Data Security Review. The public authority disclosed some of the requested information, but withheld other parts under sections 31(1)(a), 36(2)(b)(i), 36(2)(b)(ii), 36(2)(c), 38(1)(a), 38(1)(b) and 42. It also informed her that some of the information she had requested was not held. The Commissioner focused his investigation on two elements of the request – namely for the minutes of meetings held to discuss the ContactPoint Data Security Review, and a full copy of the ContactPoint Data Security Review Report. This information was withheld under sections 31(1)(a), 36(2)(b)(i), 36(2)(b)(ii), 36(2)(c) and 38(1)(b). During the course of the investigation the public authority also sought to rely upon section 42 to withhold some of the information. The public authority also stated that it was now prepared to disclose some of the previously withheld information. After investigating the case the Commissioner decided that some of the information had been correctly withheld under sections 31(1)(a), 36(2)(b)(i) and 36(2)(b)(ii). However, he also decided that some of the information withheld under sections 31(1)(a), 36(2)(c), 38(1)(b) and 42(1) was not exempt, and should therefore be disclosed. He also found that the public authority had not met the requirements of sections 1, 10 and 17.