Office of the Advisory Committee on Businesses Appointments

The complainant requested copies of communications between the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) and George Osborne, including all discussions in relation to an application by Mr Osborne to ACOBA further to his appointment as editor of the Evening Standard. ACOBA withheld the information held within the scope of the request relying on the exemptions at sections 36(2)(b), 36(2)(c) and 40(2) FOIA. The Commissioner concluded that ACOBA was entitled to rely on the exemptions at section 36(2)(b) FOIA.