Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The complainant submitted a request to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) seeking a copy of its information asset register (IAR). The FCO refused to disclose a copy of this on the basis of section 14(1) (vexatious) of FOIA. During the course of the Commissioner’s investigation the FCO published a version of its IAR, albeit it explained to the Commissioner that certain information had not been published as it would attract the exemptions contained at sections 24 (national security), 31 (law enforcement) and 40 (personal data) of FOIA. The complainant did not seek to dispute the application of these exemptions but continued to dispute the FCO’s original reliance on section 14(1) of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the FCO was entitled to initially refuse to comply with the request on the basis of section 14(1).