Department of Health and Social Care (Central government) [2023] UKICO 207013 (28 March 2023)


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Information Commissioner's Office


You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> Information Commissioner's Office >> Department of Health and Social Care (Central government) [2023] UKICO 207013 (28 March 2023)
URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKICO/2023/207013.html
Cite as: [2023] UKICO 207013

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Department of Health and Social Care

The complainant requested DHSC to disclose all correspondence between Matt Hancock and [named redacted] relating to government business from 1st January 2021 to 29 June 2021 which was not conducted on their departmental email accounts. DHSC initially applied section 14 of FOIA but at the internal review stage split the request into two. For email accounts, it set up a new request, carried out searches and confirmed that it does not hold any information. For other personal devices including WhatsApp, it delayed processing the internal review whilst it considered its position further. During this time it was able to transfer any WhatsApp messages over to another system and carry out the required searches. It therefore withdrew its application of section 14 of FOIA for this element of the request, carried out the required searches and again confirmed that it does not hold the information. The Commissioner has considered the request as a whole and decided that, on the balance of probabilities, DHSC does not hold the requested information. The Commissioner does not require any further action to be taken. Information Tribunal appeal EA/2023/0235 under appeal.

FOI 1: Complaint not upheld

Decision notice: 207013


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URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKICO/2023/207013.html