FOIA Section 41 Exemption

Section 41: Information Provided In Confidence

Section 41 applies to information that has been obtained from another person and whose disclosure to the public would constitute an actionable breach of confidence.

Key points:

• Section 41 will only apply where a person would be able to bring a successful action for breach of confidence as a result of disclosure to the public;
• Section 41 is not subject to a public interest balance imposed by the FOI Act. But, the courts have recognised that a person will not be successful in an action for breach of confidence if the public interest in disclosure outweighs the public interest in keeping the confidence;
• The application of section 41 may require detailed consideration of the law of breach of confidence: expert advice will often be necessary.

Official DCA guidance: http://www.dca.gov.uk/foi/guidance/exguide/sec41/index.htm

What the law says

41 Information provided in confidence

(1) Information is exempt information if—

(a) it was obtained by the public authority from any other person (including another public authority), and

(b) the disclosure of the information to the public (otherwise than under this Act) by the public authority holding it would constitute a breach of confidence actionable by that or any other person.

(2) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, the confirmation or denial that would have to be given to comply with section 1(1)(a) would (apart from this Act) constitute an actionable breach of confidence

ICO Lines To Take

Relevant Lines to Take

LTT173 - Impact of disclosure under FOIA on the voluntary supply of information to regulatory bodies - 04/09/2010 LTT95 - Obligation of confidence - 04/07/2010 LTT93 - Test of confidence - 04/07/2010 LTT172 - Meaning of the term "actionable" in section 41 cases - 04/07/2010 LTT97 - Detriment to the confider - 04/07/2010 LTT37 - Access to medical records of the deceased - 15/05/2009 LTT96 - Public interest in favour of maintaining a confidence - 21/07/2008 LTT94 - Necessary quality of confidence - 21/07/2008 LTT112 - The law of confidence & Human Rights Act 1998 - 25/06/2008 LTT107 - No prejudice / adverse effect test for class based exemptions / exceptions - 20/06/2008 LTT98 - Human Rights Act 1998 - Article 8 - 21/02/2008 LTT74 - Consistent treatment of confidential information - 10/11/2007 LTT40 - Contracts between public authorities and third parties - 30/03/2007

Interpretation

"Simply to put at the top of a document "Confidential" does not make the disclosure of that document by anyone actionable in breach of confidence. "Actionable" means that one can go to court and vindicate a right in confidence in relation to that document or information. It means being able to go to court and win."

Lord Falconer of Thoroton http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?gid=2000-10-25a.415.1

Decision Notices

Complaints upheld / partly upheld (P)

Complaints not upheld

FS50197502 - Cabinet Office - 16/03/2010 FS50191352 - Ministry of Defence - 02/02/2010 FS50197952 - Cabinet Office - 28/01/2010 FS50169315 - North West London Hospitals NHS Trust - 16/11/2009 FS50178553 - Wakefield Metropolitan District Council - 14/10/2009 FS50171494 - University of East Anglia - 21/09/2009 FS50222633 - Coventry City Council - 03/08/2009 FS50130316 - Food Standards Agency - 27/07/2009 FS50156313(P) - Department for Transport - 01/07/2009 FS50125005(P) - Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council - 17/06/2009 FS50125350 - National Police Improvement Agency - 16/06/2009 FS50124622 - University of Cambridge - 03/06/2009 FS50164262 - Bristol City Council - 27/05/2009 FS50121803(P) - Ministry of Justice - 14/04/2009 FS50188864 - Higher Education Funding Council for England - 31/03/2009 FS50140374(P) - University of Central Lancashire - 30/03/2009 FS5073382 - Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police - 16/03/2009 FS50128406 - Export Credits Guarantee Department - 23/02/2009 FS50090393 - BBC - 09/02/2009 FS50088736 - Department of Health - 29/01/2009 FS50149375 - Department of Health - 22/12/2008 FS50149373 - Department of Health - 22/12/2008 FS50149374 - Department of Health - 22/12/2008 FS50146033 - Vehicle and Operator Services Agency - 23/10/2008 FS50123184(P) - Office for Standards in Education - 24/09/2008 FS50145663 - Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs - 11/09/2008 FS50121687 - The Broads Authority - 10/09/2008 FS50104541 - Health and Safety Executive - 21/07/2008 FS50123005 - UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) - 16/06/2008 FS50084359(P) - Plymouth Primary Care Trust - 05/06/2008 FS50124800 - Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Trust - 02/06/2008 FS50120314 - Department of Health - 15/04/2008 FS50072940 - University College London - 02/04/2008 FS50142318(P) - Somerset NHS Primary Care Trust - 26/02/2008 FS50105478 - Chief Constable of Cumbria Constabulary - 20/02/2008 FS50155412(P) - London Borough of Southwark - 19/02/2008 FS50155394(P) - Hampshire County Council - 19/02/2008 FS50155411(P) - London Borough of Redbridge - 19/02/2008 FS50155395(P) - Hertfordshire County Council - 19/02/2008 FS50155409(P) - London Borough of Lambeth - 19/02/2008 FS50155404(P) - London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham - 19/02/2008 FS50155386(P) - Devon County Council - 19/02/2008 FS50155429 - Wiltshire County Council - 13/02/2008 FS50155406(P) - Harrow Council - 13/02/2008 FS50155410(P) - London Borough of Islington - 13/02/2008 FS50155417(P) - Norfolk County Council - 06/02/2008 FS50155397(P) - Kent County Council - 06/02/2008 FS50155421(P) - Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead - 06/02/2008 FS50155403(P) - London Borough of Newham - 06/02/2008 FS50155416(P) - London Borough of Sutton - 06/02/2008... further results

FS50249189 - Derbyshire County Council - 19/04/2010 FS50237887 - Eastleigh Borough Council - 08/04/2010 FS50130319 - Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment - 31/03/2010 FS50124332 - Department for Transport - 30/03/2010 FS50252404 - Leeds City Council - 23/03/2010 FS50144197 - Department for Communities and Local Government - 02/03/2010 FS50127519 - Department for Children, Schools and Families - 02/03/2010 FS50139606 - Ministry of Defence - 02/03/2010 FS50237119 - Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency - 18/02/2010 FS50204620 - Sport England - 15/02/2010 FS50248766 - General Medical Council - 15/02/2010 FS50247341 - Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust - 07/01/2010 FS50213781 - Leicestershire County Council - 22/12/2009 FS50080236 - Department of Health - 21/12/2009 FS50213780 - Coventry City Council - 21/12/2009 FS50252409 - Leeds City Council - 21/12/2009 FS50192655 - Leeds City Council - 21/12/2009 FS50101577 - Northern Ireland Office - 15/12/2009 FS50080233 - Department for Business, Innovation and Skills - 15/12/2009 FS50080238 - Department for Children, Schools and Families - 15/12/2009 FS50080243 - Department for Culture, Media and Sport - 15/12/2009 FS50114757 - Cabinet Office - 15/12/2009 FS50080240 - Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs - 15/12/2009 FS50208340 - Health and Safety Executive - 23/11/2009 FS50193290 - Home Office - 10/11/2009 FS50234376 - Charity Commission - 10/11/2009 FS50196759 - Department of Health - 10/11/2009 FS50202067 - Foreign and Commonwealth Office - 26/10/2009 FS50119361 - Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs - 08/10/2009 FS50157902 - Office for Standards in Education - 28/09/2009 FS50137476 - Ministry of Defence - 17/09/2009 FS50225818 - Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust - 16/09/2009 FS50114760 - Cabinet Office - 09/09/2009 FS50148702 - Home Office - 08/07/2009 FS50187314 - Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform - 09/03/2009 FS50137675 - Department for Culture, Media and Sport - 05/02/2009 FS50180838 - Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform - 15/12/2008 FS50113735 - Lambeth Primary Care Trust - 05/08/2008 FS50074593 - Medical Research Council - 07/07/2008 FS50141388 - North East Wales Institute of Higher Education - 03/07/2008 FS50111328 - Department for Culture, Media and Sport - 23/06/2008 FS50153967 - Cabinet Office - 23/06/2008 FS50088378 - National Archives - 02/06/2008 FS50088853 - HM Treasury - 24/04/2008 FS50133293 - Hounslow Primary Care Trust - 17/03/2008 FS50155428 - West Sussex County Council - 14/02/2008 FS50155425 - Surrey County Council - 13/02/2008 FS50152888 - Companies House - 05/02/2008 FS50155375 - Bath and North East Somerset Council - 04/02/2008 FS50155379 - Cheshire County Council - 04/02/2008... further results

Includes DNs up to: 26 April 2010

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Exemptions

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