Ministry of Justice

The complainant has requested information from the Ministry of Justice (“MOJ”) regarding biographical details of a District Judge and a case they presided over. The MOJ explained that part of the request did not relate to recorded information and was therefore not covered by FOIA. It explained further that it did not hold some of the recorded information requested. The MOJ relied on section 21 of FOIA to withhold the requested information it did hold as it was already reasonably accessible to the requestor. The Commissioner’s decision is that the MOJ is entitled to rely on section 21 of FOIA – information already reasonably accessible by other means, to withhold the requested information. The Commissioner does not require the public authority to take any further steps as a result of this decision notice.