Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what instructions have been given to staff in her Department dealing with freedom of information requests on the application of Freedom of Information Act Awareness Guidance No. 19, issued by the Information Commissioner's Office, in considering whether to apply the exemptions in section 38 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

No guidance has been issued to staff in my Department on the application of Guidance No.19 produced by the Information Commissioner's Office concerning section 38 of the Freedom of Information Act. The Ministry of Justice has published guidance on the use of this exemption:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/foi-guidance-for-practitioners/exemptions-guidance.