Information Commissioner's Office

Department of Energy and Climate Change

9 July 2014, Central government

The complainant has requested correspondence, minutes, reports and data relating to the Institute of Acoustics (IoA) consultation and preparation of a Good Practice Guide on the application of a particular wind turbine noise assessment. DECC identified a number of documents and emails which were within the scope of the request and disclosed some of this during the course of the Commissioner’s investigation. The remaining information was withheld on the basis of regulation 12(3), 12(4)(d), 12(4)(e) and 12(5)(b). The Commissioner’s decision is that regulation 12(3) is engaged and the information identified as personal data has been correctly withheld. Information subject to the regulation 12(4)(d) exception that does not also engage the regulation 12(4)(e) exception should be disclosed and the remaining information which constitutes internal communications has been correctly withheld. The Commissioner requires the public authority to disclose the four emails and their embedded/attached documents as identified in paragraph 47 of this notice with appropriate redactions under regulation 12(3).  Information Tribunal appeal EA/2014/0198 allowed in part.

EIR 12(3): Not upheld EIR 12(4)(e): Not upheld