Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

The complainant has requested information about which individuals who received a New Year’s honour in 2017 were nominated by Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). DCMS confirmed that they held information falling within scope of the request but they considered this to be exempt from disclosure on the basis of section 37(1)(b)(honours) of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the withheld information is exempt from disclosure on the basis of section 37(1)(b) and that in all of the circumstances of the request the public interest favours maintaining the exemption. However, the Commissioner has found that DCMS breached section 10 of FOIA.

The Commissioner does not require DCMS to take any steps as a result of this decision.