Meetings with the Prince of Wales

12 May 2022

Dear

Complaint in respect of ATISN 16157

Thank you for your request which was received by the Welsh Government on 12 April 2022. 

I have considered your complaint in accordance with the procedure outlined in Requesting information from the Welsh Government which is available by post on request or via the internet.

I have asked colleagues to undertake a thorough review of all documentation and correspondence in relation to the meeting between the Prince of Wales and the Rt Hon Mark Drakeford, First Minister on 22 February 2019. This review has found a letter that was sent from the First Minister’s office to the Prince of Wales, and I have attached a copy for your information. No further information was found. I apologise that the attached letter was omitted from the earlier response you received but I am content that no further information is held in relation to the other points you raised.

If you remain dissatisfied with this response you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner.  The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: 

Information Commissioner’s Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk          
    

Yours sincerely

11 April 2022

Dear                 ,

ATISN 16157

Thank you for your request which I received on 12 March 2022. You asked for information as shown at Annex 1, regarding a meeting between HRH Prince of Wales and Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS on 22 February 2019.

For question 2 – please see attached

For questions 1 and 3 to 6 – no information is held.

Next steps

If you are dissatisfied with the Welsh Government’s handling of your request, you can ask for an internal review within 40 working days of the date of this response. Requests for an internal review should be addressed to the Welsh Government’s Freedom of Information Officer at:

Information Rights Unit, 
Welsh Government,
Cathays Park, 
Cardiff, 
CF10 3NQ 
or Email: Freedom.ofinformation@gov.wales

Please remember to quote the ATISN reference number above.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office, 
Wycliffe House, 
Water Lane, 
Wilmslow, 
Cheshire, 
SK9 5AF

However, please note that the Commissioner will not normally investigate a complaint until it has been through our own internal review process.

Yours sincerely

Annex 1

ATISN 16157

My request concerns a meeting which took place between the Prince of Wales and the Rt Hon Mark Drakeford on 22 February 2019. 

The Court Circular lists the meeting has having taken place at Clarence House. 

Please note that the reference to the Prince of Wales should include the Prince himself (irrespective of which of his titles he his using), his Principal Private Secretary (ies), his Assistant Private Secretary (ies), any other private secretary (ies) and any other member of staff in his private office and the Royal Household who is able to correspond and communicate on his behalf.

Please note that the reference to Mr Drakeford in the questions below should be taken to mean Mr Drakeford any Principal Private Secretary (ies), any other assistant (s) and private secretary (ies) and anyone in his private office able to correspond and communicate on his behalf.

Please note that the reference to written correspondence and communications in the questions below should be taken to mean all traditional forms of correspondence such as letters, faxes, telegrams, and memos. It should also include all emails irrespective of whether they were sent and or received through private or official accounts.  It should also include all telephone text messages, Gmail messages and messages sent through encrypted messaging services.

Please note that in each case I am interested in receiving actual copies of any written correspondence and communications and not just extracts.  So, in the case of a letter, for instance, this should include any letter heads, dates, and signatures. If you are minded to redact any information, can you identify the location of the redaction in the document provided. This way I should be able to ascertain where in the communication the redacted material occurs and the extent of any redaction. 

1. Can you provide a full list of those present at the meeting on 22 February 2019.

2. Does the Welsh Government hold a copy of an appointment diary or similar which Mr Drakeford [and or his private office] used at the time. Please note that I am only interested in that diary (s) which lists Mr Drakeford's appointments and commitments.  If the answer is yes, can you provide a copy of the entry which relates to 22 February 2019. I am interested in the entire entry for that day.  This will include the aforementioned meeting as well as any other events held on that day.  

3. Was the environment and or issues which have implications for the environment and or any other matters which may be covered by the Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) discussed at this meeting. Could you provide a list of these issues.

4. Within three months of the meeting taking place did Mr Drakeford write to or communicate with the Prince of Wales about the meeting and or the specific issues which were discussed at the meeting.  If the answer is yes, can you, please provide copies of this written correspondence and communication.

5. Within three months of the meeting taking place did the Prince of Wales write to or communicate with Mr Drakeford about the meeting and or the specific issues which were discussed at the meeting.  If the answer is yes, can you, please provide copies of this written correspondence and communication.

6. If information relevant to points 1 to 5 of this request has been destroyed can you please provide the following details. Please include details of information destroyed at the time and please include details of information destroyed more recently. 

1. Can you identify exactly which information has been destroyed and why.  In the case of each destroyed document can you state when it was destroyed. 
2. In the case of each piece of destroyed correspondence and communications can you please provide details of author (s), recipient (s) and date generated.
3. If destroyed documentation of any kind continues to be held in another form can you please provide copies of that destroyed information.