Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The complainant has submitted a request to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for correspondence between it and the Internet Computer Bureau about the internet domain ‘.io’. The FCO provided the complainant with some information but sought to withhold additional information on the basis of the exemptions contained at the following sections of FOIA: sections 40 (personal data), 41 (information provided in confidence) 43 (commercial interests). The FCO also refused to confirm or deny whether it hold any further information falling within the scope of the request on the basis of section 23(5) of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the FCO is entitled to rely on all these exemptions in the manner in which it has. However, she has also concluded that the FCO breached section 17(3) by failing to complete its public interest considerations within a reasonable timeframe.