Department for Transport

The complainant has requested information relating to the peer-reviewed study which led to the imposition of compulsory face coverings on public transport. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Department for Transport (DfT) has breached section 10(1) (time for compliance with request) of the FOIA. This is because the DfT failed to confirm to the complainant whether it held the information described within the request within the statutory timeframe of twenty working days following the date of receipt. As the DfT has now confirmed to the complainant that it does not hold the requested information, the Commissioner does not require any further steps to be taken.