Please provide a list of any and all contact your organisation and/or staff have had with British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, Japan Tobacco International, Philip Morris International, as well as any other domestic or transnational tobacco companies or anyone representing the tobacco industry including subsidiaries of tobacco industry.
I would like this information for the period from 23 April 2023- 10 March
Contact would primarily include attending or arranging meetings or functions, and responding to correspondence or phone calls.
Please break down the information by:
* Tobacco company or representative’s name
* Date of contact(s)
* Type of contact (meeting, email, letter, phone call, text/app
message or video call, e-card or any other form of electronic
communication)
* Place of contact, if relevant
* Purpose of contact
* Outcome of contact, including if no action taken
As signatories to the The Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control Trading Standards do not have contact with the tobacco industry, apart from communications that are essential to criminal investigations relating to our role in tackling illegal tobacco. Details of any such investigations are exempt from disclosure under Section 30(1) (b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Investigations and Proceedings.
Devon County Council recognises that there is a public interest in disclosure of this information; however, disclosure of the data may impact any investigation which is conducted and in the circumstances, may lead to a decision by the council for law enforcement and to institute criminal proceedings. It is for this reason that we feel that the public interest is best served by withholding this information from disclosure.