Teaching Regulation Agency

The complainant has requested from the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) its operating expenditure for the services of legal firms regarding investigation and panel meetings or hearings. They also requested information about the protected characteristics of referred teachers, equality impact assessments, equal opportunity guidance/advice, and information related to prohibition orders. The TRA is an executive agency of (and therefore part of) the Department for Education (“DfE”). For the purposes of this notice the DfE will be referenced as the public authority. The TRA corresponded with the complainant but, in the circumstances, the Commissioner is satisfied that the complainant’s correspondence was, in effect, with the DfE and it is the DfE that has dealt with the complaint to the Commissioner. The DFE refused to provide the requested information, citing section 12(1) of FOIA - cost limit. The Commissioner’s decision is that the DfE is entitled to rely on section 12(1) of FOIA to refuse to comply with the request. He also finds that the DfE has complied with its advice and assistance obligations in accordance with section 16 of FOIA.