Part II Exempt information
21. Information accessible to applicant by other means.
22. Information intended for future publication.
23. Information supplied by, or relating to, bodies dealing with security matters.
24. National security. (1) Information which does not fall within section 23(1) is exempt information if exemption from section 1(1)(b) is required for the purpose of safeguarding national security. (2) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, exemption from section 1(1)(a) is required for the purpose of safeguarding national security. (3)A certificate signed by a Minister of the Crown certifying that exemption from section 1(1)(b), or from section 1(1)(a) and (b), is, or at any time was, required for the purpose of safeguarding national security shall, subject to section 60, be conclusive evidence of that fact. (4) A certificate under subsection (3) may identify the information to which it applies by means of a general description and may be expressed to have prospective effect.
25. Certificates under ss. 23 and 24: supplementary provisions.
26. Defence.(1) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice--
(a)the defence of the British Islands or of any colony, or (b)the capability, effectiveness or security of any relevant forces. (2) In subsection (1)(b) “relevant forces” means— (a) the armed forces of the Crown, and (b) any forces co-operating with those forces, or any part of any of those forces.(3) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a) would, or would be likely to, prejudice any of the matters mentioned in subsection (1).
27. International relations. (1) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice— (a) relations between the United Kingdom and any other State, (b) relations between the United Kingdom and any international organisation or international court, (c) the interests of the United Kingdom abroad, or (d) the promotion or protection by the United Kingdom of its interests abroad. (2) Information is also exempt information if it is confidential information obtained from a State other than the United Kingdom or from an international organisation or international court. (3)For the purposes of this section, any information obtained from a State, organisation or court is confidential at any time while the terms on which it was obtained require it to be held in confidence or while the circumstances in which it was obtained make it reasonable for the State, organisation or court to expect that it will be so held. (4)The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a)-- (a)would, or would be likely to, prejudice any of the matters mentioned in subsection (1), or (b)would involve the disclosure of any information (whether or not already recorded) which is confidential information obtained from a State other than the United Kingdom or from an international organisation or international court. (5)In this section— “international court” means any international court which is not an international organisation and which is established—(a) by a resolution of an international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member, or(b) by an international agreement to which the United Kingdom is a party; “international organisation” means any international organisation whose members include any two or more States, or any organ of such an organisation; “State” includes the government of any State and any organ of its government, and references to a State other than the United Kingdom include references to any territory outside the United Kingdom.
28. Relations within the United Kingdom. (1)Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice relations between any administration in the United Kingdom and any other such administration. (2)In subsection (1) “administration in the United Kingdom” means— (a)the government of the United Kingdom, (b)the Scottish Administration, (c)the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly, or [F1(d)the Welsh Assembly Government.] (3)The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a) would, or would be likely to, prejudice any of the matters mentioned in subsection (1).
29. The economy. (1) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice— (a) the economic interests of the United Kingdom or of any part of the United Kingdom, or (b) the financial interests of any administration in the United Kingdom, as defined by section 28(2). (2) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a) would, or would be likely to, prejudice any of the matters mentioned in subsection (1).
30. Investigations and proceedings conducted by public authorities.
31. Law enforcement.
32. Court records, etc.
33. Audit functions.
34. Parliamentary privilege.
35. Formulation of government policy, etc.
36. Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs.
37. Communications with Her Majesty, etc. and honours.
38. Health and safety.
39. Environmental information.
40. Personal information.
41. Information provided in confidence.
42. Legal professional privilege.
43. Commercial interests. (1) Information is exempt information if it constitutes a trade secret. (2) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it).(3) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a) would, or would be likely to, prejudice the interests mentioned in subsection (2).
21. Information accessible to applicant by other means.
22. Information intended for future publication.
23. Information supplied by, or relating to, bodies dealing with security matters.
24. National security. (1) Information which does not fall within section 23(1) is exempt information if exemption from section 1(1)(b) is required for the purpose of safeguarding national security. (2) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, exemption from section 1(1)(a) is required for the purpose of safeguarding national security. (3)A certificate signed by a Minister of the Crown certifying that exemption from section 1(1)(b), or from section 1(1)(a) and (b), is, or at any time was, required for the purpose of safeguarding national security shall, subject to section 60, be conclusive evidence of that fact. (4) A certificate under subsection (3) may identify the information to which it applies by means of a general description and may be expressed to have prospective effect.
25. Certificates under ss. 23 and 24: supplementary provisions.
26. Defence.(1) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice--
(a)the defence of the British Islands or of any colony, or (b)the capability, effectiveness or security of any relevant forces. (2) In subsection (1)(b) “relevant forces” means— (a) the armed forces of the Crown, and (b) any forces co-operating with those forces, or any part of any of those forces.(3) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a) would, or would be likely to, prejudice any of the matters mentioned in subsection (1).
27. International relations. (1) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice— (a) relations between the United Kingdom and any other State, (b) relations between the United Kingdom and any international organisation or international court, (c) the interests of the United Kingdom abroad, or (d) the promotion or protection by the United Kingdom of its interests abroad. (2) Information is also exempt information if it is confidential information obtained from a State other than the United Kingdom or from an international organisation or international court. (3)For the purposes of this section, any information obtained from a State, organisation or court is confidential at any time while the terms on which it was obtained require it to be held in confidence or while the circumstances in which it was obtained make it reasonable for the State, organisation or court to expect that it will be so held. (4)The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a)-- (a)would, or would be likely to, prejudice any of the matters mentioned in subsection (1), or (b)would involve the disclosure of any information (whether or not already recorded) which is confidential information obtained from a State other than the United Kingdom or from an international organisation or international court. (5)In this section— “international court” means any international court which is not an international organisation and which is established—(a) by a resolution of an international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member, or(b) by an international agreement to which the United Kingdom is a party; “international organisation” means any international organisation whose members include any two or more States, or any organ of such an organisation; “State” includes the government of any State and any organ of its government, and references to a State other than the United Kingdom include references to any territory outside the United Kingdom.
28. Relations within the United Kingdom. (1)Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice relations between any administration in the United Kingdom and any other such administration. (2)In subsection (1) “administration in the United Kingdom” means— (a)the government of the United Kingdom, (b)the Scottish Administration, (c)the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly, or [F1(d)the Welsh Assembly Government.] (3)The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a) would, or would be likely to, prejudice any of the matters mentioned in subsection (1).
29. The economy. (1) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice— (a) the economic interests of the United Kingdom or of any part of the United Kingdom, or (b) the financial interests of any administration in the United Kingdom, as defined by section 28(2). (2) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a) would, or would be likely to, prejudice any of the matters mentioned in subsection (1).
30. Investigations and proceedings conducted by public authorities.
31. Law enforcement.
32. Court records, etc.
33. Audit functions.
34. Parliamentary privilege.
35. Formulation of government policy, etc.
36. Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs.
37. Communications with Her Majesty, etc. and honours.
38. Health and safety.
39. Environmental information.
40. Personal information.
41. Information provided in confidence.
42. Legal professional privilege.
43. Commercial interests. (1) Information is exempt information if it constitutes a trade secret. (2) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it).(3) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a) would, or would be likely to, prejudice the interests mentioned in subsection (2).