Cabinet Office

The complainant requested from the Cabinet Office information relating to Baron Janner of Braunstone. The Cabinet Office responded and confirmed it held relevant information, but that it was exempt under section 37(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). However, the Cabinet Office also stated it needed further time to consider the balance of the public interest. To date, the Cabinet Office has failed to provide the complainant with a substantive response. By failing to do so the Commissioner has concluded that the Cabinet Office breached section 17(3) of the Act. The Commissioner requires the public authority to provide the complainant with substantive responses to his information request. If the Cabinet Office decides to withhold any information then the complainant should be provided with a refusal notice giving a full explanation as to why the information will not be disclosed, including details of any public interest test considerations.