Transport for London

The complainant has made a multipart request for information about any positive action taken by Transport for London (TfL) to encourage people from ethnic minorities to become taxi drivers. TfL interpreted the request as being for information about an initiative which the London Development Agency had run and explained that, as it had not been responsible for that scheme, it did not hold the requested information. During the Information Commissioner’s investigation TfL argued that it had not carried out any form of positive action itself and therefore it did not hold the requested information in any event. The Information Commissioner’s decision is that ultimately TfL met its obligations under section 1 of FOIA to inform the complainant whether or not it held the requested information except in respect of one element. TfL breached section 1 by failing to provide information on where the complainant could submit a compensation claim to. However as the complainant has now acquired the necessary contact details for making a legal claim against the authority the Information Commissioner does not require TfL to take any further action in this matter. Information Tribunal appeal EA/2015/0152 allowed.