Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

The complainant requested copies of minutes and notes of meetings between, the public authority and the BBC, the public authority and other departments, and, within the public authority, in relation to the government’s decision to cease funding the over 75s TV licence concession, and for the BBC to take over the responsibility. The public authority withheld the information held within the scope of the request in reliance on the exemptions at sections 35(1)(a) and (b), 36(2)(b), 40(2), 42(1) and 43(2) FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the public authority was entitled to rely on the exemptions at sections 35(1)(a) and (b), 36(2)(b), 42(1), 43(2), and 40(2) save with respect to the phone numbers of senior officials. She has therefore ordered the public authority to release the withheld phone numbers.