UK Research and Innovation

The complainant has requested information produced by UKRI in response to an open letter from the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. UKRI confirmed information was held but was being withheld under section 36(2), section 42, section 38 and section 40(2). UKRI disclosed some emails with information redacted under section 40(2). During the course of the Commissioner’s investigation UKRI agreed it could now provide some of the names of senior staff from the disclosed information and the documents previously withheld under section 38. The Commissioner’s decision is that UKRI is entitled to rely on section 36(2)(b)(i) and (ii), section 42(1) to withhold the remaining requested information and section 40(2) for the names/contact information of any junior staff and third parties. The Commissioner finds that UKRI has breached FOIA section 10(1) by failing to respond within the time for compliance. It has also breached section 17(3) in delaying the provision of its refusal notice.