Youth Justice Agency

The complainant has requested information from the Youth Justice Agency (“YJA”) regarding a contract for the provision of communication services and also regarding active grievances within JJC (Juvenile Justice Centres).  The YJA disclosed some information to the complainant in relation to the contract, however it withheld some information, citing section 43(2) of the FOIA as a basis for non-disclosure.  In relation to the active grievances, the YJA disclosed information to the complainant, however the complainant believed that this was not the full extent of the information held by the YJA within the scope of her request, therefore she believed it had breached section 1 of the FOIA.  The Commissioner’s decision is that the YJA has correctly applied section 43(2) of the FOIA to the withheld information in respect of the contract.  The Commissioner has also decided that, on the balance of probabilities, the YJA held no further information relating to active grievances at the time of the complainant’s request other than that which it had already disclosed to the complaint and so it had complied with its duties under section 1 of the FOIA.  Therefore, the Commissioner requires no steps to be taken.