Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

The complainant requested an organogram and job descriptions. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman provided some information but relied on section 22 (intended for future publication) to withhold some information and section 12 of the FOIA (cost of compliance) to refuse part of the request. The Commissioner’s decision is that the PHSO breached section 16 of the FOIA by failing to ensure that it had obtained the correct objective reading of the original request. It did not breach section 16 of the FOIA in respect of the clarified request because its interpretation was the only objective reading. Finally, the Commissioner finds that the PHSO failed to identify all the information it held within the scope of the request within 20 working days and therefore breached section 10 of the FOIA. The Commissioner does not require further steps to be taken.