Department of Health and Social Care

The complainant has requested a document from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on the analysis of the impact of Brexit on the NHS which the complainant believed was the source of a leak in April 2017. The DHSC refused to either confirm or deny if this document was held by virtue of the exclusion at section 35(3) of the FOIA as to do so would reveal information on the development of formulation of government policy (section 35(1)(a)). The Commissioner’s decision is that the DHSC was correct to neither confirm nor deny if this information was held and the public interest in this case supports this position. The Commissioner therefore requires no steps to be taken by the DHSC. Information Tribunal appeal EA/2019/0035 under appeal.