Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

The complainant requested information from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities about a report on the Independent Review of the UK Government’s Prevent Strategy. The DLUHC withheld the requested information under section 35(1)(a) (formulation or development of government policy), and parts of it under sections 24(1) (national security), 40(2) (personal information), and 42 (legal professional privilege) of FOIA. DLUHC has recently changed name to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. As this occurred after DLUHC’s most recent correspondence with the Commissioner regarding this case, this decision notice refers to DLUHC throughout. The Commissioner’s decision is that the DLUHC is entitled to withhold the information under section 35(1)(a). The Commissioner does not require further steps.