Bilderberg Group Meeting

Dear Her Majesty’s Treasury,

I understand that George Osborne recently attended the Bilderberg
Group meeting.

Further, I read that the Treasury confirmed that "George Osborne is
attending the Bilderberg conference in his official capacity as
Chancellor of the Exchequer". (*)

Please disclose to me

- a copy of the invitation sent by the Bilderberg Group to Mr.
Osborne, and his reply to that invitation.
- copies of the expense claims & receipts submitted by Mr. Osborne
for the duration of his stay.
- the number and grade of the Treasury staff who accompanied him,
and where senior staff - their names.
- copies of the expense claims & receipts submitted by Treasury
staff.
- the dates/agenda/minutes of meetings attended by Mr. Osborne and
treasury staff.

I'm a firm believer in democracy, openness, transparency, and
public accountability.

Please provide me with an open & transparent account for Mr
Osborne's attendance at the Bilderberg conference, in his official
capacity and at public expense.

Yours faithfully,

P. John

(*)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/201...

Dear Her Majesty’s Treasury,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of
Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Her Majesty’s
Treasury's handling of my FOI request 'Bilderberg Group Meeting'.

I asked you to disclose to me;

- a copy of the invitation sent by the Bilderberg Group to Mr.
Osborne, and his reply to that invitation.

You tell me you can't find this information. I suppose Mr. Osborne
would not attend uninvited. It seems improbable that no such
information would exist, or would have been misplaced in a matter
of weeks.

Please will you review the response to this request.

- copies of the expense claims & receipts submitted by Mr. Osborne
for the duration of his stay.

You declined to disclose the requested information. I would like to
see *copies* of the original invoices/expense claims to confirm the
nature of the charges on his bill, the nature of the accommodation
provided, the air fare that was purchased.

Following the precedent set by the disclosure of expense claims by
Members of the House of Commons, I would like you to disclose the
original invoices/expense claims relating to Mr. Osbourne's
attendance at the Bilderberg Group meeting.

- the number and grade of the Treasury staff who accompanied him,
and where senior staff - their names.

I would be grateful if you would disclose the name of the staff
member who accompanied Mr. Osbourne.

- copies of the expense claims & receipts submitted by Treasury
staff.

You disclosed only summary level information. I would like to see
*copies* of the original invoices/expense claims to confirm the
nature of the charges on the bill, the nature of the accommodation
provided, the air fare that was purchased.

To repeat, following the precedent set by the disclosure of expense
claims by Members of the House of Commons, I would you to disclose
the original invoices/expense claims relating to Treasury staff
attendance at the Bilderberg Group meeting.

- the dates/agenda/minutes of meetings attended by Mr. Osborne and
treasury staff.

You declined to disclose the information requested. I would expect
Mr. Obsborne or his staff member to have taken contemporaneous
notes of meetings attended.

Please disclose those notes.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is
available on the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/bi...

Yours faithfully,

P. John

Dear Mr Underwood,

many thanks for your reponse.

You are correct to anticipate my disappointment.

When a Government Minister meets in secret with foreign
businessmen, at public expense, and in an official capacity... and
yet feels under no obligation to provide an account for his
conduct... much as I try to believe there is no sinister or corrupt
purpose to those meetings I regret I am confounded if I try.

Yours sincerely,

P. John