High Speed Two Limited
- Date 17 August 2020
- Sector Other
- Decision(s) EIR 12.4.b: Not upheld, EIR 9: Not upheld
The complainant has requested information about contracts. High Speed Two Limited (HS2 Ltd) refused to comply with the request under section 12(1) of the FOIA (cost exceeds the appropriate limit). The Commissioner’s decision is as follows: The majority of the requested information can be categorised as environmental information under the EIR. HS2 Ltd is not obliged to comply with the request for this information under regulation 12(4)(b) of the EIR as the request is manifestly unreasonable by virtue of cost. The public interest favours maintaining this exception. To the degree that any of the information within scope of the request is not environmental information, HS2 Ltd is not obliged to comply with the request for that information under section 12(1) of the FOIA. Regulation 9(1) of the EIR and section 16(1) of the FOIA, which concern advice and assistance, have not been breached. The Commissioner does not require HS2 Ltd to take any remedial steps.