An Introduction to Exemptions is intended for use by officials working in Government Departments, but will also be of use to the wider public sector.
It is aimed in the first place for officials at the front line of handling requests for information, but it also acts as a guide and support to those who are advising them on the relevant policy and legal contexts within which disclosure decisions are made.
'An Introduction to Exemptions' should be read in conjunction with the Freedom of Information: Guidance on Processing Requests.
When using this Introduction you must also refer to the full Freedom of Information: Exemptions guidance prepared by the Department for Constitutional Affairs, whenever it appears that an exemption may apply to a request for information.
Neither this Introduction nor the full Exemptions Guidance can comprehensively address all the types of information that might be sought by a request. It does not substitute the need to consult with those who have expertise or policy lead in the areas which may engage the exemptions.
If you think it may be necessary to apply an exemption, and are unsure how to apply it, you should refer to your Departmental expert on Freedom of Information and your Departmental lawyers to ensure the Act is correctly applied.
If the request appears to:
it should be referred via your departmental FOI specialists to the DCA Central Clearing House.