Cabinet Office

The complainant has requested information about timescales of security clearance applications. The Cabinet Office (“the CO”) relied on section 12 of FOIA (cost of compliance) to refuse the request.The Commissioner’s decision is that the CO was entitled to rely on section 12(1) of FOIA to refuse the request. The Commissioner also considers that the CO complied with its section 16 obligation to offer advice and assistance. The Commissioner does not require further steps to be taken.