This was FOI release reference number (RFI 5239) on ‘Applications for Circus Licences’. The initial request concerned applications by UK businesses for a licence under the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses Regulations (England) 2012 (the Welfare Regulations), and also the reports of inspections of business premises in response to any application made under those regulations.
The initial request was refused under ss.36, 38, 40 and 43 of the FOIA. On appeal, it was decided that the grounds for withholding under s.36, which governs the effective conduct of public affairs, no longer applied. Defra was correct to apply it at the time of the initial request, while a decision was being made about whether to grant the licences, but once that decision had been there were no longer grounds to withhold. As a result, copies of the licence applications and inspection reports were published, subject to information which was covered by the other exemptions being redacted.
seen at 16:31, 23 May in Search.