Queens University Belfast

The complainant asked Queen’s University Belfast (“the University”) for a copy of an administrative review undertaken by Deloitte (“the Deloitte Report”) regarding the contract management and procurement arrangements for the Belfast Festival at Queen’s (“the Festival”). The University refused to disclose that information, citing the exemptions under sections 31(1)(g) (prejudice to a public authority’s functions) and section 40 (personal data) of the FOIA as a basis for non-disclosure. The Information Commissioner’s decision is that the University has correctly applied the exemption under section 31(1)(g) for the purposes set out in sections 31(2)(a) and (b) (the purpose of ascertaining whether any person has failed to comply with the law and the purpose of ascertaining whether any person is responsible for any conduct which is improper). He considers that section 31(1)(g) applies to all of the requested information and therefore orders no steps to be taken.