HM Treasury

The complainant submitted a request to HM Treasury seeking email correspondence between Adrian Masters, a senior civil servant, and representatives of McKinsey regarding the Health and Social Care Taskforce. HMT initially responded by stating that it did not hold any information. During the course of the Commissioner’s investigation its located some information falling within the scope of the request. It provided the complainant with an email from McKinsey to Mr Masters, redacted on the basis of sections 35(1)(a) (formulation or development of government policy) and 40(2) (personal data) of FOIA. It also sought to withhold a slide presentation attached to the email on the basis of section 35(1)(a).The Commissioner’s decision is that HMT is entitled to withhold the information on the basis of sections 35(1)(a) and 40(2).