Department for Business and Trade

The complainant requested information about UK arms export licence applications. The request was addressed to the Department for International Trade (DIT), which is now the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) following the machinery of government changes in February 2023. DBT withheld some information under sections 36, 40, 41 and 43 of FOIA. The complainant challenged the application of sections 36, 41 and 43. The Commissioner’s decision is that sections 36(2)(b)(i) and (ii) are engaged and the public interest favours maintaining the exemptions, because disclosure would be likely to prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs. The Commissioner does not require any further steps as a result of this decision notice.