Department for Education
- Date 14 November 2022
- Sector Central government
- Decision(s) EIR 12.5.e: Not upheld
The complainant has requested from the Department for Education (DfE) the amounts awarded to each of the schools under the Selective Schools Expansion Fund (SSEF). The DfE provided some information at the review stage whilst withholding information regarding uncompleted projects under sections 22 and 43(2) FOIA. After the Commissioner began his investigation the DfE accepted that the request should have been considered under the EIR and cited regulation 12(5)(e) (confidentiality of commercial and industrial information) as its reason for withholding the remaining requested information. The Commissioner’s decision is that the DfE has cited regulation 12(5)(e) of the EIR correctly. However, it has breached regulations 5(2) and 11(4) of the EIR. The Commissioner does not require the DfE to take any further steps.