British Business Bank

The complainant has requested the names of companies and the amounts each had borrowed following the Government’s implementation of loan schemes to support businesses facing financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commissioner’s decision is that the British Business Bank (‘BBB’) has appropriately relied on section 43(2) - Commercial interests to withhold the requested information and the public interest favours maintaining the exemption. In regard to the BBB’s reliance on section 21 – Information accessible by other means, the Commissioner finds the exemption is not engaged. The Commissioner does not require the public authority to take any steps to ensure compliance with the legislation.