HM Treasury
- Date 28 January 2025
- Sector Central government
- Decision(s) EIR 11: Upheld, EIR 12.4.e: Not upheld, FOI 35: Partly upheld
The complainant submitted a request to HM Treasury (HMT) seeking copies of minutes of the East West Rail Economic Growth Board. HMT withheld this information on the basis of section 35(1)(a) (formulation or development of government policy) of FOIA and regulation 12(4)(e) (internal communications) of the EIR. The information withheld on the basis of regulation 12(4)(e) is exempt from disclosure on the basis of this exception and the public interest favours withholding this information. The information withheld on the basis of regulation 35(1)(a) is exempt from disclosure on the basis of that exemption. For the majority of the information, the public interest favours withholding this. For the remainder of the information the public interest favours its disclosure. HMT breached regulation 11(4) of the EIR by not completing the internal review within 40 working days.