Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

The complainant has requested information from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) containing records of contacts between a named lawyer and the UK Government/Libya regarding the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie. The FCDO confirmed information was held but considered it exempt from disclosure under section 41(1) of the FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that the FCDO has correctly engaged the exemption and there is not sufficient public interest in disclosure to override the duty of confidence. Section 41(1) therefore provides a basis for withholding the information and the FCDO is not required to take any steps.