Make a Request
How do I make a request for information?
If having searched the publications area of the NIO web-site you cannot find the information you require you may wish to contact the NIO by letter or using the enquiry form.
On the 12 April the Northern Ireland Office transferred responsibility for policing and criminal justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive. The Northern Ireland Office is now responsible for overseeing the Northern Ireland devolution settlement and representing Northern Ireland interests at UK Government level and UK Government interests in Northern Ireland. The Department will also retain responsibility for national security in respect of Northern Ireland as well as Human Rights, elections and legacy issues (including current Inquiries).
If you wish to make a Freedom of Information request which concerns any of the functions which the Northern Ireland Office is responsible for you should note the following;
Recorded Information relating to these functions is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Office and you should make your request in writing to: foi@nio.x.gsi.gov.uk
If you wish to make a Freedom of Information request which concerns any of the functions which transferred to the NI Department of Justice on 12 April (see below) you should note the following;
Recorded information relating to these functions created before 12 April 2010 is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Office and you should make your request in writing to foi@nio.x.gsi.gov.uk
Recorded information relating to these functions created after 12 April is the responsibility of the new Northern Ireland Department of Justice and requests should be made to DOJfoi@dojni.x.gsi.gov.uk
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is a new Northern Ireland Department which came into existence on 12 April 2010 and was established by the Department of Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2010. It has a range of devolved policing and justice functions, set out in the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010.
In addition to its statutory functions, the department provides resources and a legislative framework form its agencies and arms length bodies (which together constitute most of the justice system in Northern Ireland).
Agencies
The Department has five Agencies:
Northern Ireland Prison Service: The Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) is an executive agency of the Department of Justice responsible for providing prison services in Northern Ireland. By working with prisoners and stakeholder organisations it also aims to reduce levels of re-offending.
Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service: The Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS) is an executive agency of the Department of Justice. It provides administrative support to the Northern Ireland courts and tribunals, and to the Judiciary; enforce civil court judgements through the Enforcement of Judgements Office and sponsors the work of the Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission.
Compensation Agency: The Compensation Agency (CA) is an executive agency of the Department of Justice responsible for supporting the victims of crime, either by personal injury or criminal damage, by ensuring that they are appropriately compensated in accordance with relevant statutory schemes.
Forensic Science Agency: The Forensic Science Agency (FSNI) is an executive agency of the Department of Justice responsible for the provision of effective scientific advance and support to enhance the delivery of justice.
Youth Justice Agency : The Youth Justice Agency (YJA) is an executive agency of the Department of Justice responsible for preventing offending by children and young people through delivery of a range of community based, court ordered and diversionary interventions, youth conferencing and the provision of custody where necessary.
The Department also sponsors a number of Non-Departmental Public Bodies/bodies affiliated with policing and justice.
Prior to making a request you should consider whether the NIO is the most appropriate authority to send a request to. Your request will be answered more quickly if you write directly to the authority that holds the information.
Your request for information can be sent by letter to the FOI Team at the address below. In order to provide an efficient service it would be helpful if you:
- Include your full postal address
- Describe in as much detail as possible the information that you require providing any relevant dates, events or subject-headings that will enable us to ascertain if we hold the information.
- State if you have any preference for the format in which the information should be supplied (e.g. a summary or a table of statistics).
Freedom of Information Team
Northern Ireland Office
11 Millbank
London
SW1P 4PN
The NIO enquiry form is primarily used for short routine enquiries but you can also use it to make a request for information which is not already in the public domain. If you use the enquiry form it would be helpful if you described the information you require in as much detail as possible and include your full postal address as some material can only be sent as photocopied pages.
How will my request be processed?
Can all information be released?