The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has ruled on a Freedom of Information (FOI) complaint against the Ministry of Defence (MOD) concerning information about the Porton Down range. The ICO determined that the MOD was justified in withholding the requested information under section 26(1)(b) of the FOIA, citing defence interests, and concluded that the public interest favoured maintaining this exemption. The decision means the specific information sought by the complainant will not be disclosed.

This decision has implications for government agencies handling FOI requests, particularly those involving national security or defence exemptions. While this specific case did not result in a penalty, it reinforces the ICO's stance on upholding exemptions where the public interest is deemed to favour non-disclosure. Regulated entities should ensure their FOI response processes are robust and clearly articulate the grounds for exemption and the public interest test when withholding information.