Planning Inspectorate

The complainant has requested information about ‘screening direction requests’. The Planning Inspectorate originally refused the request under section 12 (cost of compliance) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, but later confirmed to the Commissioner that it should have done so under regulation 12(4)(b) (manifestly unreasonable requests) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. The Commissioner’s decision is that the PI was entitled to rely on regulation 12(4)(b) of the EIR when refusing to supply the requested information, and has otherwise complied with its duty under regulation 9(1) of the EIR to offer advice and assistance to the complainant. The Commissioner does not require the PI to take any further action.