Information Commissioner's Office

Home Office

9 June 2015, Central government

The complainant requested a document titled “Country Returns Documentation Guide” that lists the documentation requirements other countries have in place in order to accept the return of their citizens. The Home Office disclosed this document, but withheld some of the content under the exemption provided by section 31(1)(e) (prejudice to the operation of the immigration controls) of the FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Home Office cited section 31(1)(e) correctly and so it was not obliged to disclose the withheld content. This decision notice is currently under appeal to the Tribunal. 

FOI 31: Not upheld