Natural Environment Research Council

The complainant has requested information from the Natural Environment Research Council (the “NERC”) concerningcommunications between NERC senior managers and regarding questions of environmental science. The Commissioner’s decision is that NERC correctly determined that the request is vexatious. However NERC incorrectly handled the request under the FOIA. The Commissioner has determined that the request is for environmental information and should therefore have been considered under the EIR. In wrongly handling the request under the FOIA, NERC has breached regulation 14(1) of the EIR. As the Commissioner upholds NERC’s position that the request is vexatious, he requires the public authority to take no steps. Information Tribunal appeal EA/2015/0037 dismissed.