Section 17 — Official Information Act 1982: Deletion of information from documents

17 Deletion of information from documents (1) Where the information requested is comprised in a document and there is good reason for withholding some of the information contained in that document, the other information in that document may be made available by making a copy of that document available with such deletions or alterations as are necessary. (2) Where a copy of a document is made available under subsection (1) of this section, the Department or Minister of the Crown or organisation shall, subject to section 10 of this Act, give to the applicant— (a) The reason for withholding the information; and (b) If the applicant so requests, the grounds in support of that reason, unless the giving of those grounds would itself prejudice the interests protected by section 6 or section 7 or section 9 of this Act and (in the case of the interests protected by section 9 of this Act) there is no countervailing public interest. Subsection (2)(b) was amended, as from 1 April 1987, by section 4(2) Official Information Amendment Act 1987 (1987 No 8) by omitting the expression “ or section 8(1) ” .