Department of Finance and Personnel NI

The complainant has requested information relating to advice obtained by the Department of Finance and Personnel. The Department provided some information but withheld the remainder under sections 21 and 42 of the FOIA. During the Commissioner’s investigation the Department identified further information and disclosed some of the withheld information. With regard to the remaining withheld information the Commissioner finds that section 21 is not engaged. The Commissioner finds that section 42 is engaged in respect of some information but not engaged in respect of some information. The Commissioner also finds that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing some, but not all, of the information exempt under section 42. The Commissioner’s decision is that the public authority has incorrectly withheld some information under sections 21 and 42 of the FOIA. The Commissioner requires the public authority disclose the information listed in the confidential annex schedule to this decision notice. Information Tribunal appeal EA/2016/0121 disposed of by consent order.