Ministry of Defence
- Date 31 January 2019
- Sector Central government
- Decision(s) FOI 26: Not upheld
The complainant submitted a request to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) seeking information about ‘go cold’ and missile malfunction events concerning unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the last five years. The MOD provided the complainant with some of the information falling within the scope of his request but sought to withhold the remainder on the basis of sections 26(1)(b) (defence), 27(1)(a) and (d) (international relations) and 43(2) (commercial interests) of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the withheld information is exempt from disclosure on the basis of section 26(1)(b) and that in all of the circumstances of the request the public interest favours maintaining this exemption.