STANDING ORDERS Appendix Q - Exempt Information

Exempt information   EXEMPT information falls into one of seven categories identified in legislation. The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 and The Relevant Authorities (Standards Committee) (Amendment) Regulations seek to simplify matters by replacing the previous Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 with a new Schedule 12A, reducing the number of categories to seven.    The exemptions are subject to a public interest test.

1    Information about an individual: Information relating to any individual

2    Information revealing identity: Information that is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

3    Information about someone’s finances or business:  Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

4    Labour relations:  Information relating to any consultations or negotiations or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations arising between the authority or a minister of the crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority.

5    Information that could be considered legally privileged:  Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in “legal proceedings”.

6    Information about legal action:  Information which reveals that the authority proposes (a) to give under any enactment a notice under or by virtue of which requirements are imposed on a person; or (b) to make an order or direction under any enactment.

7 Information about action to deal with a crime:  Information relating to any action taken or to be taken  in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime.     Public Interest Test Information which falls into any of the seven categories AND is not prevented from being exempted by the Acts of Parliament listed below is exempt information if and so long as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.