Information Commissioner's Office

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

8 November 2016, Central government

The complainant submitted a request to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for copies of records relating to flights in and out of Diego Garcia in the British Indian Overseas Territory. The FCO refused to disclose the information relying on section 27(1)(a) (international relations) and section 26(1)(b) (defence) of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the FCO is entitled to rely on section 27(1)(a) to withhold the requested information and that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest favours maintaining the exemption.

FOI 27: Not upheld