Avon and Somerset Police

The complainant has made several requests for information relating to Avon and Somerset Constabulary’s treatment of Injury on Duty pensions.  Avon and Somerset Constabulary was not satisfied that the complainant had stated her real name when making the requests. It asked her for confirmation of her identity, which she declined to provide, whereupon it refused to deal with the requests, citing section 8(1)(b) (Request for information) of the FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that, in the particular circumstances of the case, Avon and Somerset Constabulary was entitled to consider that the requests did not meet the criteria for valid requests at section 8(1)(b) of the FOIA without confirmation of the complainant’s identity. The Commissioner requires no steps to be taken.