FOIA Section 24 Exemption

Section 24: National Security

Section 24 applies to information whose exemption from the right of access is required for the purpose of safeguarding national security: in order to apply section 24, it will be necessary to decide whether any harm to national security might result from its disclosure. Key points: In some circumstances it may be necessary to rely on both section 23 and section 24 in order to refuse to confirm or deny whether information is held in order to fully protect the important public interests concerned; When considering section 24, departments should be alive to the need to consult the departmental security officer or other interested parties. Section 24 is subject to a public interest balance. A ministerial certification procedure exists where it becomes necessary to rely on this exemption.
DCA Guidance.

Full DCA guidance: http://www.dca.gov.uk/foi/guidance/exguide/sec24/index.htm

Key points

• This exemption is subject to the public interest test.
• Check to see if a ministerial certificate has been issued or not.

What the law says

24 National security

(1) Information which does not fall within section 23(1) is exempt information if exemption from section 1(1)(b) is required for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

(2) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, exemption from section 1(1)(a) is required for the purpose of safeguarding national security.

(3) A certificate signed by a Minister of the Crown certifying that exemption from section 1(1)(b), or from section 1(1)(a) and (b), is, or at any time was, required for the purpose of safeguarding national security shall, subject to section 60, be conclusive evidence of that fact.

(4) A certificate under subsection (3) may identify the information to which it applies by means of a general description and may be expressed to have prospective effect.

ICO Lines To Take

Relevant Lines to Take

LTT107 - No prejudice / adverse effect test for class based exemptions / exceptions - 20/06/2008 LTT68 - Required for purposes of national security - 21/08/2007 LTT64 - Neither confirm nor deny - 08/07/2007 LTT53 - Reliance on s23(5) and s24(2) in conjunction - 07/05/2007 LTT54 - National Security - 07/05/2007

Decision Notices

Complaints upheld / partly upheld (P)

Complaints not upheld

FS50219758(P) - Home Office - 23/02/2010 FS50231561 - Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service - 15/02/2010 FS50085720 - Cabinet Office - 22/12/2009 FS50178276 - Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service - 10/12/2009 FS50160252(P) - Cabinet Office - 08/12/2009 FS50167298(P) - Department for Transport - 16/11/2009 FS50196750 - Olympic Delivery Authority - 22/09/2009 FS50137790 - Cabinet Office - 30/04/2009 FS50154349 - Metropolitan Police Service - 20/04/2009 FS50098388 - Cabinet Office - 01/09/2008 FS50106800 - Metropolitan Police Service - 20/08/2008 FS50086063 - Cabinet Office - 11/07/2006

FS50142134 - Northern Ireland Office - 30/03/2010 FS50192677 - Ministry of Defence - 16/03/2010 FS50198733 - Home Office - 08/02/2010 FS50194621 - Ministry of Defence - 04/02/2010 FS50174841 - Department for Transport - 17/12/2009 FS50200695 - Thames Valley Police - 19/11/2009 FS50200694 - Hampshire Constabulary - 19/11/2009 FS50141014 - Foreign and Commonwealth Office - 18/11/2009 FS50188323 - Foreign and Commonwealth Office - 31/03/2009 FS50090742 - Cabinet Office - 12/05/2008 FS50102023 - Cabinet Office - 28/02/2008 FS50101728 - Foreign and Commonwealth Office - 19/11/2007 FS50074788 - Northern Ireland Office - 27/02/2007

Includes DNs up to: 26 April 2010

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Exemptions

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