Cabinet Office

The complainant submitted a request to the Cabinet Office seeking information about the authorisation of pass for Lord Alli to enter Number 10 Downing Street. The Cabinet Office initially confirmed that it held information within the scope of this request but considered this to be exempt from disclosure on the basis of sections 24 (national security) and 31 (investigations) of FOIA. The Cabinet Office subsequently revised its position and concluded that this information was out of scope of the request, and nor did it hold any other recorded information falling within the scope of this request. The Commissioner’s decision is that on the balance of probabilities the Cabinet Office does not hold any information falling within the scope of the request. However, the Commissioner has concluded that the Cabinet Office breached section 10(1) of FOIA in failing to inform the complainant of this within 20 working days of his request.