Department of Health

The complainant requested several pieces of information surrounding the cost of the swine flu vaccination programme. Although the DoH provided some information, it withheld details of the purchase price of the swine flu vaccine under sections 41(1)(b) and 43(2). During the Commissioner’s investigation the DoH also sought to rely upon section 44(1)(b), on the basis that disclosure of this information was prohibited by the Public Contract Regulations 2006. After investigating the case the Commissioner decided that some of the withheld information was exempt under section 43(2). However, he also found that some of the information should be disclosed as the DoH had incorrectly applied sections 41(1)(b), 43(2) and 44(1)(b). In addition to this, the Commissioner also decided that the DoH had not met with the requirements of sections 1, 10 and 17.