Secretary of State for the Home Department (Home Office)

The complainant has requested information relating to National Asylum Stakeholder Forum (NASF) and Strategic Engagement Group (SEG) meetings. The Home Office refused the request, citing sections 36(2)(b)(i) and (ii) and 36(2)(c) (Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs), and 38(1)(a) and (b) (Health and safety) of FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Home Office was entitled to apply sections 36(2)(b)(i) and (ii) and 36(2)(c) to refuse the majority of the request. However, he finds that the Home Office was not entitled to rely on any of the cited exemptions to withhold meeting agenda headings. The Commissioner requires the Home Office to disclose the meeting agenda headings for the five NASF and SEG meetings falling in the request’s scope, with any personal data redacted.