Home Office
- Date 17 January 2024
- Sector Central government
- Decision(s) FOI 31: Not upheld, FOI 35: Not upheld
The complainant requested information relating to the Home Office biometrics (HOB) programme and the Strategic Facial Matching (SFM) project. The Home Office disclosed some information and withheld some information. The Commissioner has considered its application of sections 31 (law enforcement) and 35 (formulation of government policy) of FOIA to the withheld information in scope of parts 1, 2 and 6 of the request. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Home Office was entitled to rely on sections 31(1)(a) and 35(1)(a) of FOIA to withhold the information. The Commissioner requires no steps to be taken as a result of this decision.