Information Commissioner's Office

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

5 January 2015, Central government

The complainant submitted a request to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) seeking information about a residential tenancy agreement it had entered into in Hong Kong. He specifically sought the dates and costs of the tenancy. The FCO withheld this information under section 43 of FOIA on the basis that disclosure would be likely to prejudice both its commercial interests and those of the landlord. The Commissioner has concluded that the exemption is engaged and that the public interest favours maintaining the exemption.

FOI 43: Not upheld