Public Prosecutions Service for Northern Ireland

The complainant has requested information, relating to several named individuals, in connection with a murder. The Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPS) initially refused to disclose information relating to one individual under sections 30, 40(2) and 41 of FOIA, and refused to confirm or deny whether it held information relating to the other individuals under section 40(5) of FOIA. The PPS subsequently amended its position to refuse the entire request under section 12 of FOIA (appropriate limit). The Commissioner’s decision is that the PPS was entitled to refuse the request under section 12 of FOIA, since compliance with the request would exceed the appropriate limit. First-tier tribunal (General Regulatory chamber) information rights appeal EA/2022/0134 struck out.