Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what instructions have been given to staff in her Department dealing with freedom of information requests on the application of Freedom of Information Act Awareness Guidance No. 19, issued by the Information Commissioner's Office, in considering whether to apply the exemptions in section 38 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

No Northern Ireland Office (NIO) specific guidance has been issued to staff on the application of Freedom of Information Act Awareness Guidance No.19, issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office, about the application of section 38 of the Act. However, NIO staff responsible for preparing FOI responses regularly refer to ICO and MOJ Guidance on the application of exemptions.