In December 2009 the Government vetoed public access to the minutes of the Cabinet sub-committee on Devolution to Scotland, Wales and the Regions (DSWR), as reported on this site.
Yesterday the publication of these minutes was again blocked on the grounds that their release would undermine "Cabinet collective decision-making".
The response from the Information Commissioner's Office (attached below) also suggests that release of these minutes would jeapordise relations between the UK Government and their Scottish and Welsh counterparts, and would therefore undermine the UK Government.
We also consider that the exemption in s28 is engaged because it is information held by the United Kingdom government on matters which concern the Scottish Administration and the Welsh Assembly Government, the disclosure of which would, or would be likely to, prejudice relations between those those devolved administrations and the United Kingdom government. The documents you have requested contain discussions between then Ministers, including individual and divergent views, and the disclosure of these minutes would prejudice the UK government's current dealings with those administrations.
We acknowledge, as I explain above, the public interest in the development of policy on devolution. However, in addition to the public interest arguments in favour of protecting the convention of Cabinet collective decision-making, there is a public interest in ensuring effective administration in Scotland and Wales. The issues discussed in the minutes are of current importance; are of particular interest to the Scottish Administration and Welsh assembly Government; and contain discussions between Ministers about those issues, the disclosure of which could adversely affect the government of the United Kingdom's current dealings with those administrations. The release of material that would damage those relationships could not be considered to be in the public interest. We therefore conclude that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosure.