Cabinet Office

The complainant requested information relating to policy development regarding access to the electoral register from the Cabinet Office. Initially, it had relied on section 12 (costs exceed appropriate limit) but following the intervention of the Commissioner it revised its position and made a partial disclosure. However, it relied on provisions of section 35 (formulation/development of government policy) and section 42 (legal professional privilege) as its basis for withholding the remainder. It failed to deal with the complainant’s request for internal review. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Cabinet Office is entitled to rely on section 35(1)(b) as its basis for withholding the remainder of the requested information. No steps are required.