Exemptions - Freedom of Information Act 2000
List of exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
A. Exemptions where the public interest test applies:
s22 Information intended for future publication
s24 National security
s26 Defence
s27 International relations
s28 Relations within the United Kingdom
s29 The economy
s30 Investigations and proceedings conducted by public authorities
s31 Law enforcement
s33 Audit functions
s35 Formulation of government policy, etc.
s36 Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs (except
information held by the House of Commons or the House of Lords)
s37 Communications with Her Majesty, etc., and honours
s38 Health and safety
s39 Environmental information
s40 Personal information (Only where the information concerns
a third party and a s.10 notice under the Data Protection Act 1998 applies to
that information)
s42 Legal professional privilege
s43 Commercial interests
B. The absolute exemptions
If these exemptions apply it is not necessary to go on to consider whether the
disclosure is in the public interest.
s21 Information accessible to applicants by other means
s23 Information supplied by, or relating to, bodies dealing
with security
s32 Court records, etc
s34 Parliamentary
s36 Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs (only
applies to information held by the House of Commons or the House of Lords)
s40 Personal information (where the applicant is the subject
of the information)
s41 Information provided in confidence
s44 Prohibitions on disclosure where a disclosure is prohibited
by an enactment or would constitute contempt of court