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
Decision Notices
| Complaints upheld / partly upheld (P)
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Complaints not upheld
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- FS50229617 - Borough of Poole Council - 19/04/2010
- FS50280316 - Clydach Community Council - 19/04/2010
- FS50229762 - Ministry of Justice - 19/04/2010
- FS50237887 - Eastleigh Borough Council - 08/04/2010
- FS50140361 - Cabinet Office - 31/03/2010
- FS50136631 - British Nuclear Fuels Limited - 30/03/2010
- FS50121686 - Ministry of Justice - 30/03/2010
- FS50128567 - Department of Health - 30/03/2010
- FS50142134 - Northern Ireland Office - 30/03/2010
- FS50204654 - Foreign and Commonwealth Office - 29/03/2010
- FS50255373 - Attorney General’s Office - 29/03/2010
- FS50129139 - Department for Business, Innovation and Skills - 25/03/2010
- FS50183692 - Royal Mail - 25/03/2010
- FS50189595 - Department for Employment and Learning - 25/03/2010
- FS50205418 - Electoral Commission - 24/03/2010
- FS50146907 - The Treasury Solicitor's Department (TSOL) - 23/03/2010
- FS50143102 - HM Treasury - 22/03/2010
- FS50227721 - Ministry of Justice - 22/03/2010
- FS50211063 - Leeds Metropoliten University - 18/03/2010
- FS50232320 - Cornwall County Council - 18/03/2010
- FS50248665 - Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs - 18/03/2010
- FS50197502 - Cabinet Office - 16/03/2010
- FS50150313 - Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency - 11/03/2010
- FS50227055 - Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs - 11/03/2010
- FS50210858 - Department for Work and Pensions - 10/03/2010
- FS50198230 - Home Office - 09/03/2010
- FS50269403 - Health and Safety Executive - 08/03/2010
- FS50235016 - Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust - 04/03/2010
- FS50164940 - Department for Children, Schools and Families - 04/03/2010
- FS50215164 - University of Newcastle - 03/03/2010
- FS50124339 - Home Office - 02/03/2010
- FS50143525 - Department for Culture, Media and Sport - 02/03/2010
- FS50189185 - Audit Commission - 02/03/2010
- FS50127519 - Department for Children, Schools and Families - 02/03/2010
- FS50194063 - Department for Business, Innovation and Skills - 01/03/2010
- FS50206324 - Home Office - 01/03/2010
- FS50202965 - Exeter City Council - 01/03/2010
- FS50185270 - Department of Health - 01/03/2010
- FS50167790 - Department for Children, Schools and Families - 01/03/2010
- FS50283831 - Bolton Council - 25/02/2010
- FS50259228 - Bolton Council - 25/02/2010
- FS50243486 - Home Office - 24/02/2010
- FS50219758 - Home Office - 23/02/2010
- FS50237119 - Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency - 18/02/2010
- FS50202112 - Home Office - 17/02/2010
- FS50262410 - Hartlepool Borough Council - 17/02/2010
- FS50189328 - East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust - 16/02/2010
- FS50245527 - University of Plymouth - 15/02/2010
- FS50204620 - Sport England - 15/02/2010
- FS50231561 - Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service - 15/02/2010... further results
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Includes DNs up to: 26 April 2010
