Information Commissioner's Office

Summary: The Complainant made a request to HM Treasury (-�the Treasury-�) for information about plans drawn up by the Treasury in 2008 or 2009 to set up a bank to acquire toxic/bad assets from UK financial institutions and for details of assessments of the cost of such plans. He also asked for information about meetings with Lloyds TSB, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays Bank in November and December 2008 and 2009. In relation to the request for information about the meetings set out above, the Treasury explained that this information was already publicly available and provided the complainant with a link to this information. In relation to the remainder of the request, the Treasury refused to disclose this information under section 29(1)(a), section 29(1)(b), section 27(1)(a), section 35(1)(a) and section 42(1). The Commissioner considers that the section 35(1)(a) exemption was correctly engaged in this case. The Commissioner has not therefore considered the other exemptions applied.
Section of Act/EIR & Finding: FOI 35 - Complaint Not upheld