Dr Robert James Abrahart v The Information Commissioner & Anor

Facts

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 confers a general right of access to information held by public authorities, enforced by the Information Commissioner with a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. The appellant, Dr Robert James Abrahart, is associated with campaigning by bereaved families — the LEARN Network and ForThe100 — for a statutory duty of care in higher education following the suicides of students; a petition on that issue was debated in Parliament on 5 June 2023, and the campaign has generated many information requests to the Department for Education. On 12 November 2024 the appellant asked the DfE for all documentation, correspondence and internal communications concerning its decision to apply an additional section 40(2) exemption to another person's request of 3 October 2023, as recorded in an internal review outcome letter of 23 November 2023. The DfE refused on 10 December 2024 under section 14(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and maintained that position on internal review on 20 December 2024. The appellant complained to the Commissioner on 22 December 2024, and by a Decision Notice dated 17 July 2025 the Commissioner upheld the refusal instead under section 14(1), finding the request vexatious and requiring no steps. The appellant appealed by Notice of Appeal dated 4 August 2025. The appeal was heard with two other appeals, which were not consolidated.