Treasury keeps alcohol meetings secret

A long delayed response to a Freedom of Information request submitted on 28 October 2013 has finally arrived from the Treasury. Unfortunately, it sheds light on little other than the government’s determination to keep secret discussions it had with industry lobbyists at the height of the alcohol industry’s campaign to sabotage the policy of minimum unit pricing.

I asked the Treasury for more information about seven meetings in January and February last year between Sajid Javid, the economic secretary to the Treasury, and representatives of the alcohol industry. Because the meetings had taken place either during or …