Cabinet Office

The complainant has requested information about the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs. The Cabinet Office refused the request on the basis that it was not a valid request within the meaning given at section 8(1)(c)(requests for information) of FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Cabinet Office was not entitled to refuse question 3 as it meets the requirements of a valid request as described at section 8(1)(c). However, the Cabinet Office was entitled to rely on section 8(1)(c) to refuse questions 4 to 10 of the request as they do not meet the requirements of a valid request as described as section 8(1)(c). The Commissioner requires the Cabinet Office to issue a fresh response to question 3 of the request. The public authority must take these steps within 30 calendar days of the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court pursuant to section 54 of the Act and may be dealt with as a contempt of court.