Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The complainant submitted a request to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) seeking information about the UK’s funding of certain projects in Bahrain. The FCO confirmed that it held some information falling within the scope of the request but considered this to be exempt from disclosure on the basis of sections 27(1)(a), (c) and (d) (international relations) and 43(2) (commercial interests) of FOIA. The FCO also sought to refuse to confirm or deny whether it held any further information falling within the scope of the request on the basis of the exemptions contained at sections 23(5) (security bodies) and 24(2) (national security) of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the FCO is entitled to rely on sections 27(1)(a), (c) and (d) to withhold the information. She has also concluded that the FCO is entitled to rely on sections 23(5) and 24(2) to refuse to confirm or deny whether it holds any further information.