What grounds under the Official Information Act were used to justify withholding the titles of documents related to the Roads of National Significance programme in recent OIA responses from agencies for which he is responsible, and what precedent supports withholding document titles?

Answer

The information and the document titles were withheld in accordance with the Official information Act 1982, following sections of the Act were used: • 9(2)(b)(ii) to protect information where the making available of the information would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information • 9(2)(f)(iv) to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which protect the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials • 9(2)(i) to enable a Minister of the Crown or any public service agency or organisation holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial activities • 9(2)(j) to enable a Minister of the Crown or any public service agency or organisation holding the information to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations). Document titles are assessed against the same criteria as the documents themselves, which is consistent with usual practice and the Official Information Act 1982.