Michael Gove vs FOI

From Laura Mcinerney who submitted the original FOI, writing in the Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jan/07/why-is-government-secretive-about-free-schools

"....rather than release it, Michael Gove, the education secretary, has told MPs he will do "everything possible" to stop me getting it. In the coming months, his department is taking the Information Commissioner – and me – to a tribunal in an attempt to block its release under the Freedom of Information Act."

What Michael Gove said: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/Education/EdC181213.pdf

Q108 Pat Glass: Can I ask very quickly about the Information Commissioner? Why are you refusing to publish free school applications and acceptance and rejection letters in line with the ruling of the Information Commissioner? What do you have to hide? 29

Michael Gove: I have nothing to hide, but I believe that it is important that we protect those people who put forward applications that may have been rejected because we know that free school promoters and others have endured vilification and attacks. I do not think that people who made applications on the basis that those applications would be treated in confidence, and who may, if they have been unsuccessful, expose themselves to the risk of intimidation, should be exposed to that risk by my actions.

Q109 Pat Glass: You talked earlier about the need to conform to the law. Why does that not apply to you? The Information Commissioner has said you should publish these things.

Michael Gove: We are appealing.

Q110 Pat Glass: If the tribunal says you must publish them, will you then publish them?

Michael Gove: I will do everything possible to protect the confidentiality of those people, and I hope that we will prevail. If at the end of the process I have no option but to publish, then I will have no option but to publish.