Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

The complainant submitted a request to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport HM Treasury (DCMS) seeking communications and minutes of meetings between ministers and the Association of British Bookmakers concerning the review into fixed odds betting terminals. DCMS confirmed that it held information falling within the scope of the request but it considered this to be exempt from disclosure of the exemption contained at section 35(1)(a) (formulation and development of government policy) of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the withheld information is exempt from disclosure on the basis of section 35(1)(a) and that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest favours maintaining the exemption.