Cabinet Office
- Date 16 June 2020
- Sector Central government
- Decision(s) EIR 13.5.a: Not upheld, FOI 37: Not upheld
The complainant submitted a request to the Cabinet Office seeking information about whether The Queen and the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, had discussed the topics of Brexit or the prorogation of Parliament at their weekly meetings, or had exchanged correspondence on these subjects. Under FOIA the Cabinet Office refused to confirm or deny whether it held any information on the basis of section 37(2) by virtue of section 37(1)(a) (communications with the Sovereign). To the extent that any of the requested information, if held, would be environmental information the Cabinet Office refused to confirm or deny whether it held such information on the basis of regulations 13(5)(a) (personal data) and 12(6) (international relations) of the EIR. The Commissioner has concluded that the Cabinet Office is entitled to rely on section 37(2) of FOIA and regulation 13(5)(a) of the EIR in the manner in which it has.