The complainant alleged that the Privy Council Office (PCO), when responding to a request under the Access to Information Act, had improperly withheld information under subsection 13(1) (confidential information from government bodies), and subsection 15(1) (international affairs, national security, defence). The request was for historical information regarding the Intelligence Advisory Committee from 1982 to 1983.

During the investigation, PCO informed the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) that it would be disclosing all information which it had previously withheld, with the exception of certain specific categories of information, which it continues to withhold under subsections 13(1) and 15(1).

The Information Commissioner concluded that none of the withheld information under investigation meets the requirements of subsection 13(1) or subsection 15(1). The Commissioner recommended that PCO disclose this information. 

The institution gave notice to the Commissioner that it would not be implementing her recommendation.

The complaint is well founded.