Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice refused a request for a copy of a Home Office circular on the treatment of police informants. It cited the exemption at section 31(1)(f) and subsequently sections 38 and 44. During the course of the investigation it became apparent that the requested information was held on public deposit by the British Library and thus was reasonably accessible to the applicant otherwise than under the Act. The Commissioner therefore decided that the request should have been refused under section 21. He also found breaches of section 17(1) and 17(3).