Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The complainant submitted a request to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) seeking details of any secondary employment undertaken by the Heads of British diplomatic missions. The FCO refused to comply with the request on the basis of section 12(1) (cost limit) of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the FCO is entitled to rely on section 12(1) of FOIA. However, it breached section 17(1) of FOIA by falling to issue its refusal notice within 20 working days.