UKGC: No Contact with MP Craig Whittaker in 3 Years
FOI request reveals no recorded correspondence between the Calder Valley MP and the gambling regulator from late 2020 to late 2023.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed that the UK Gambling Commission holds no records of correspondence with Conservative MP Craig Whittaker for the three years leading up to November 2023. This disclosure provides a factual data point on the level of engagement between the MP for Calder Valley and the national gambling regulator.
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Key Finding
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) holds no record of correspondence with Craig Whittaker, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Calder Valley, in the three years prior to the request.
The disclosure, published by the regulator, provides a transparent look at the level of formal engagement between a specific MP and the organisation responsible for overseeing the UK's gambling industry.
Context: Why This Matters
Members of Parliament often communicate with regulatory bodies like the Gambling Commission for various reasons. This can include raising concerns on behalf of constituents, seeking information about industry practices, or contributing to policy discussions surrounding gambling legislation and consumer protection.
Tracking this correspondence provides consumers and the public with insight into how their elected representatives are engaging with key regulatory issues. An absence of communication can be as noteworthy as frequent interaction, offering a factual data point on an MP's recorded involvement with the regulator.
Details of the Request
The FOI request, submitted on 29 November 2023, asked the Gambling Commission to provide:
"copies of any correspondence between Craig Whittaker MP and the Gambling Commission in the last three years including emails and letters."
In its official response, the UKGC was unequivocal, stating:
"The Gambling Commission can confirm that we hold no information in relation to your request."
This response is categorised as 'Information not held'. It is not a refusal to provide data, but a definitive statement that, after searching its records, the Commission found no documents matching the request's criteria for the specified period (approximately November 2020 to November 2023).
Significance for Regulatory Transparency
This disclosure serves as a clear, factual record of the interaction—or lack thereof—between a parliamentarian and the national gambling regulator. For constituents in the Calder Valley constituency and for the wider public, it confirms that no formal written dialogue between Mr Whittaker and the UKGC took place through official channels during this three-year timeframe.
While MPs engage on policy matters in numerous ways, including parliamentary debates and committee work, direct correspondence with regulators is a key tool for addressing specific issues. This FOI response provides a verifiable piece of data that contributes to the overall picture of parliamentary oversight of the gambling sector.