Larry Julien v The Information Commisssioner

Facts

The appellant, Larry Julien, stepped into proceedings begun by his father, Mr Peter Julien, whose ill-health prevented him from continuing. On 3 February 2025 Mr Peter Julien wrote to the Home Office seeking records relating to his parents, Mrs Mildred Agatha John (born 11 December 1915) and Mr Julius Julien (born 15 May 1907), both born in Grenada: any naturalisation or registration certificates as citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies, passports, details of their immigration history including dates of applications and decisions, landing cards, and a list of all applications made. The Home Office treated the request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and replied on 4 March 2025 that no immigration records were held and that His Majesty's Passport Office held no passport records. On internal review, completed on 13 August 2025, it maintained that position, suggesting that any registration in Grenada would have been held locally by the British Embassy there. Mr Peter Julien complained to the Information Commissioner the same day, relying on a photograph of his mother bearing what he said was an embossed "British" stamp, and on the destruction of Windrush landing cards. By a decision notice of 27 January 2026 the Commissioner found that, on the balance of probabilities, the Home Office held no information within scope. The appellant appealed.