Department of Health and Social Care

The complainant has requested DHSC to disclose all correspondence between itself and Steve Brine MP relating to a particular FOIA request and all FOIA handling correspondence in relation to that request. DHSC refused the request, initially section 36(2)(b) and then section 12 of FOIA. During the Commissioner’s investigation DHSC claimed a late reliance on section 14 of FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that DHSC is entitled to refuse to comply with the request in accordance with section 14 of FOIA. He does not require any further action to be taken.