Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Date 17 December 2019
- Sector Central government
- Decision(s) FOI 17: Upheld, FOI 27: Not upheld, FOI 40: Not upheld
The complainant submitted a request to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) seeking internal FCO analysis about Mexican and Central American migrants crossing the US-Mexican border. The FCO confirmed that it held information falling within the scope of the request but it sought to withhold this on the basis of sections 27(1)(a), (c) and (d) (international relations), 35(1)(a) (formulation and development of government policy) and 40(2) personal data of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the requested information is exempt from disclosure on the basis of section 27(1)(a), (c) and (d) and section 40(2). However, she has also concluded that the FCO breached section 17(3) of FOIA by failing to conclude its public interest test considerations and provide the complainant with a substantive response to his request within a reasonable timeframe.