Dept of Health challenges FoI ruling

Dept of Health challenges FoI ruling

The Department of Health is challenging a Freedom of Information ruling requiring it to publish the numbers of late abortions due to foetal abnormalities.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that the department is resisting the ruling made by the Information Commissioner Richard Thomas last July requiring the details to be disclosed.

A spokeswoman for the department said an appeal had been lodged with the Information Tribunal on the grounds that the very small numbers involved could lead to the women concerned being identified.

"The department believe this to be personal data and maintain that the release of the data could lead to the identification of individuals," the spokeswoman said.

Health Dept challenges data request (Press Association, 6 December 2008)