Freedom of Information Act 1989 No 5
Historical version for 26 July 2004 to 16 January 2005 (accessed 25 May 2013 at 04:35) Repealed version

32   Documents affecting business affairs

(1)  This section applies to a document that contains:
(a)  information concerning the trade secrets of any person, or
(b)  information (other than trade secrets) that has a commercial value to any person, or
(c)  information (other than trade secrets or information referred to in paragraph (b)) concerning the business, professional, commercial or financial affairs of any person.
(2)  An agency shall not give access to a document to which this section applies (otherwise than to the person concerned) unless the agency has taken such steps as are reasonably practicable to obtain the views of the person concerned as to whether or not the document is an exempt document by virtue of clause 7 of Schedule 1.
(3)  If:
(a)  an agency determines, after having sought the views of the person concerned, that access to a document to which this section applies is to be given, and
(b)  the views of the person concerned are that the document is an exempt document by virtue of clause 7 of Schedule 1,
      the agency shall:
(c)  forthwith cause written notice to be given to the person concerned:
(i)  that the agency has determined that access to the document is to be given, and
(ii)  of the rights of review and appeal, and the rights of complaint to the Ombudsman, conferred by this Act and the Ombudsman Act 1974 in relation to the determination, and
(iii)  of the procedures to be followed for the purpose of exercising those rights, and
(d)  defer giving access to the document until after the expiration of the period within which an application for a review or appeal under this Act may be made or, if such an application is made, until after the application has been finally disposed of.
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