Department for International Trade

The complainant requested information from the Department for International Trade (“the DIT”) about a meeting between named parties to discuss investment into the UK. By the date of this notice, the DIT had not issued a substantive response to this request.
The Commissioner’s decision is that the DIT has failed to complete its deliberations on the balance of the public interest within a reasonable time and has therefore breached section 17(3) of FOIA.
The Commissioner requires the DIT to take the following step to ensure compliance with the legislation: Having confirmed whether or not information is held within the scope of the request: either disclose the requested information, if held, or, to the extent that information is to be withheld, issue a refusal notice in accordance with the requirements of section 17 of the FOIA.