Scotland Office

The complainant submitted a request to the Scotland Office seeking copies of communications it exchanged with HM Treasury, along with notes of any meetings between the two departments, about the confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP which the government agreed in June 2017. The Scotland Office confirmed that it held information falling within the scope of the request but sought to withhold this on the basis of sections 28(1) (relations with the UK), 35(1)(a) (formulation and development of government policy) and 35(1)(b) (Ministerial communications) of FOIA. The Commissioner has concluded that the information is exempt from disclosure on the basis of sections 35(1)(a) and 28(1) of FOIA and that in the all the circumstances of the case the public interest favours maintaining each exemption.