Home Office
- Date 13 March 2012
- Sector Central government
- Decision(s) FOI 16: Upheld, FOI 31: Partly upheld
The complainant requested information concerning guidance on the acceptable use of force and constraint given by UK Border Agency to contractors escorting deportations. The Home Office disclosed a redacted copy of a manual setting out what force could be used, and cited the exemptions provided by the following sections of the FOIA in relation to the redactions: 31(1)(f) (maintenance of security and good order in prisons), 38(1)(a) (endangerment to health) and 38(1)(b) (endangerment to safety). The Information Commissioner’s decision is that the Home Office has withheld some of the information requested incorrectly. It also breached section 16(1) of the FOIA in that it did not advise the complainant of where information falling within the scope of her request was publicly available.