Department for Work and Pensions

The complainant has requested information on the access rights of different staff groups using the Universal Credit IT system. Following the Commissioner’s intervention, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that it was withholding some of the requested information under section 31 (law enforcement). The Commissioner’s decision is that section 31 is engaged in relation to the withheld information and the balance of the public interest lies in maintaining the exemption. DWP did not confirm whether it held the requested information within the statutory timeframe and has therefore breached section 10(1). It also did not provide a valid refusal notice within the statutory timeframe and has therefore also breached section 17 of the Act. The Commissioner does not require DWP to take any further steps in relation to this request.