Ministry of Justice - Freedom of Information Requests

Context

  • The Information Commissioners Office is a non-departmental public body which reports directly to Parliament, and is sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.
  • MoJ is responsible for criminal justice policy, sentencing policy, probation, prisons and prevention of re-offending

 

Personal Conclusions

  • MoJ were relying heavily on flawed advice from the Home Office, in particular the assertion that publishing online could be equated with consent for communication interception.
  • Contrary to assertions by the Home Office, the MoJ disclosure suggests that BERR consider the "particular issue is not within their remit"

FoI Releases (Reverse Chronological Order)

Second Internal FoI Review (May 2009) *new*

The second internal review of my FoI request concluded that an (undated) draft background note could be disclosed. The document appears to date from March/April 2008 (given the references to Parliamentary questions, and opinions expressed at that time). I believe the reference to initials DN may be a reference to Sir David Normington (Permanent Secretary at the Home Office).

There's no reference in the document to the covert trials of Phorm's technology in 2006, and 2007 (or 2008) which might indicate the document predates the revelation of those events, and the Police/CPS complaints that followed.

FoI Internal Review, covering letter, and draft briefing note (2Mb)

First Internal FoI Review  (May 2009) *new*

The first review discovered a number of items relating to Parliamentary written answers concerning Phorm.

FoI Internal Review, Covering letter, emails (3Mb)

First Formal Disclosure (July 2008)

The first disclosure was very late. It didn't find anything to disclose. I requested an internal review.

FoI Response, Covering letter (300Kb)