Freedom of Information Act 1991

This section applies to a document that contains—

information concerning the trade secrets of any person; or

information (other than trade secrets) that has a commercial value to any person; or

any other information concerning the business, professional, commercial or financial affairs of any person.

An agency must not give access under this Act to a document to which this section applies (except to the person concerned) unless the agency has taken such steps as are reasonably practicable to obtain the views of the person concerned as to whether or not the document is an exempt document by virtue of clause 7 of Schedule 1.

If—

an agency determines, after seeking the views of the person concerned, that access to a document to which this section applies is to be given; and

the views of the person concerned are that the document is an exempt document by virtue of clause 7 of Schedule 1, the agency must—

forthwith give written notice to the person concerned—

that the agency has determined that access to the document is to be given; and

of the rights of review conferred by this Act in relation to the determination; and

of the procedures to be followed for the purpose of exercising those rights; and

defer giving access to the document until after the expiration of the period within which an application for a review under this Act may be made or, if such an application is made, until after the application has been finally disposed of.