Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

The complainant made a “meta-request” for information created or acquired as a result of a previous request he had made. The Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman withheld the requested information and relied on section 40(1) of the FOIA to do so. The Commissioner’s decision is that information falling within the scope of the request would be the complainant’s own personal data. The PHSO was therefore entitled to rely on section 40(1) of the FOIA in order to withhold it. However, the Commissioner also finds that, in failing to issue its refusal notice within 20 working days, the PHSO breached section 17(1) of the FOIA. The Commissioner does not require further steps.