Freedom of Information exercise his or her discretion with regard to the disclosure of information supplied in confidence by a third party and if it is in the public interest that similar information should continue to be supplied. Under Clause 24, disclosure of information is prohibited where disclosure is likely to endanger the life or safety of any person. An information officer may, in his discretion, refuse a request whose disclosure might be inimical to the security of any property or the safety of the public. Clause 25 sets out situations where access to information in bail proceedings must be refused and situations where access may, in the discretion of the information officer, be refused in order to avoid impeding the prosecution of offences, and to prevent the circumvention of the law resulting in the miscarriage of justice or facilitating the commission of offences. Information may not be refused to the extent that it relates to the general conditions of detention of persons in custody. In addition, an information officer is authorised to refuse to deny or confirm the existence or non-existence of any information which he must refuse or which he may refuse to disclose. Under Clause 26, unless consent is given by the person concerned, legally privileged information, i.e., confidential communications between the person and their doctor or lawyer or between journalists and their sources are not to be disclosed. Clause 27 details the circumstances in which an information officer may refuse a request for access to information concerning the defence, security and international relations of the State. Also under this clause, an information officer is authorised to refuse to deny or confirm the existence or non-existence of any information which he or she may refuse to disclose. Similarly under Clause 28, access to information relating to the economic interests and financial welfare of the State may be refused if disclosure is likely to materially jeopardise the interests and welfare of the State. The clause details the nature of the information protected and extends to cover public entities. However, access to information may not be refused if disclosure will facilitate accountability and transparency by the State or public entities. Research information of third parties must not, under Clause 29, be disclosed if disclosure is likely to cause serious disadvantage to a third party, a researcher or the subject matter of the research. Under the same clause, research information of an entity may not be disclosed if disclosure would expose the entity, researcher or subject matter to disadvantage. The protection afforded under Clause 30 is designed to enable entities to conduct their operations without opinions, consultations, minutes of meetings or any other deliberations being the subject of mandatory disclosure so as to avoid inhibiting candidness or premature disclosures which are detrimental to the success of policies or could jeopardise the effectiveness of implementation of policies. Access may however not be denied if the information has been in existence for more than twenty years or if the information is required in terms of the Administrative Justice Act [Chapter 10:28]. Under Clause 31, information officers may refuse access to information if the request is frivolous or vexatious or if the work involved in processing a request would substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of an entity. In such circumstances, the information officer is required to notify the applicant giving reasons why the request is so regarded. Part V of the Bill sets out the procedure to be followed in instances of requests for access to information which affects third parties. iv (iv)