Royal Holloway University of London

The complainant has requested the meta-data relating to emails sent about the effect of Emergency Regulations 2022/23 on students’ degree classification, from the Royal Holloway University of London (‘the University’). The University relied on sections 38 and 40(2) to withhold the information. These exemptions concern health and safety, and personal data, respectively. The Commissioner’s decision is that the University incorrectly relied on section 38. It was entitled to rely on 40(2) for some of the withheld information, but not all of the information. The Commissioner requires the University to take the following step to ensure compliance with the legislation. Disclose the withheld information in line with the Commissioner’s confidential annex. The University must take this step within 30 calendar days of the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court pursuant to section 54 of the Act and may be dealt with as a contempt of court.