https://icosearch.ico.org.uk/s/redirect?collection=ico-meta&url=https%3A%2F%2Fico.org.uk%2Fmedia%2Faction-weve-taken%2Fdecision-notices%2F2021%2F2619441%2Fic-87583-r5m3.pdf&auth=l8UJ%2B3S3aZ4kcw%2FqDhCB9A&profile=_default&rank=10&query=foreign+office

The complainant has requested copies of any correspondence and communications to the Foreign Secretary from The Duke and Duchess of York concerning the late Jeffrey Epstein or his business and charitable organisations made between the period 1 January 2002 to 1 June 2002.  The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (the Foreign Office) refused to confirm or deny whether it held the requested information and cited sections 40(5) (third party personal data) and 41(2) (information provided in confidence) as its basis for doing so. The Commissioner’s decision is that the Foreign Office is entitled to rely on section 40(5B) of the FOIA to neither confirm or deny holding whether it holds the requested information.