GOVERNMENT HOSPITALITY  
 
LANCASTER HOUSE, ST JAMES’S, LONDON SW1A 1BB 
 
TELEPHONE : 020-7008 8517 
 
FACSIMILE : 020-7008 8526 
 
Our ref: FOI 0030-10 
 
 
 12th February 2010 
 
[FOI #26685 email] 
 
Dear Mr Cross 
 
Freedom of Information Act Request Reference 0030-10 
 
Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act, which I received on the 
12th January 2010. In your letter you requested: 
 
a)  the names and cost per bottle of the five most expensive types of wine currently in 
stock in the Government Hospitality cellar at Lancaster House; 
b)  the names and cost per bottle of the five most expensive types of wine purchased 
during 2009 for the cellar; and 
c)  the total cost of the 20 most expensive bottles of wine purchased during 2009 for the 
cellar. 
The FOI Act (2000) obliges us to respond to requests promptly and in any case no later than 
20 working days after receiving your request. However, when a qualified exemption is 
engaged and the public interest test is being considered, the Act allows the time for response 
to be longer than 20 working days, and a full response must be provided within such time as 
is reasonable in all circumstances of the case. We do, of course, aim to make all decisions 
within 20 working days, including in cases where we need to consider where the public 
interest lies in respect of a request. In this case, however, we have not yet reached a decision 
on where the balance of the public interest test lies.  
 
In your case we estimate that it will take an additional 20 working days to take a decision on 
where the balance of the public interest lies. Therefore, we plan to let you have a response by 
12 March. It if appears that it will take longer than this to reach a conclusion, we will keep 
you informed. 
 
The specific exemption which is engaged in relation to your request is Section 43 
(commercial interests). 
 
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the 
reference number above in any future communications.  
 

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If you are unhappy with the level of service you have received in relation to your request you 
may ask for an internal review. You should contact Alison MacMillan, Deputy Director of 
Protocol, Room 1/56, Old Admiralty Building, FCO, London, SW1A 2PA if you wish to 
make a complaint. You have 40 working days to do so.  Please remember to quote the 
reference number above in any future communications. 
 
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply 
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can 
be contacted at:  
 
Information Commissioner’s Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF  
 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
 
Robert  Alexander 
 
 
Robert M O’D Alexander OBE 
Head of Government Hospitality 
 
 
 
 

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