Department of Justice
Freedom of Information Team
Information Services Division
Block 4
Knockview Buildings
Ballymiscaw
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3SL
Telephone 028 90378617
Email: xxx@xxxxxxxxxx.x.xxx.xxx.xx
Freedom of Information Team
16th January 2019
REFERENCE: FOI\19\2
Dear Madam,
Thank you for your requests for information dated 7th January 2019 and detailed below.
Request 1:
Can you tell me how many judges you currently provide drivers and security for to take
them to work in Northern Ireland and how much this has cost the tax payer since the
Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998.
Is the department reconsidering whether this service is needed for judges, and if so,
why?
Request 2:
Can you tell me how many retired police officers you still provide security/ and/ or
drivers for in Northern Ireland currently.
How much has this cost each year for the past five?
Request 3:
Can you please tell me how many former politicians the department still provides
security and/ or drivers for in Northern Ireland currently.
How much has this cost each year for the past five?
Request 4:
Can you please tell me whether you still provide security and/ or a driver please for
former first minister Peter Robinson?
If so, how much has the cost each year (divided between a driver + transport and
security) since he stood down as a politician in 2015.
Can you also explain why the department pays for this when he is now a private citizen
please.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives you two rights of access when you write to
us asking for information. You have the right to know whether we hold recorded
information falling in scope of your request, and you have the right to receive this
recorded information subject to cost limit or exemption.
We have searched our records and have established that we do not hold any recorded
information relating to your request.
You may find it helpful to know, and outside of our obligations under the Freedom of
Information Act, that the provision of personal security is a function of the Police Service
of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) Close Protection Unit. The information you require may
therefore be held by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Their contact details
are as follows:
PSNI
Freedom of Information Team
Corporate Development
Brooklyn
65 Knock Road
Belfast
BT5 6LE
Email
: xxx@xxxx.xxx.xxxxxx.xx
You may also be interested to know that the provision of drivers falls within the remit of
the Department of Finance (DoF). You may therefore wish to contact DoF in relation to
the information you require. Their contact details are as follows:
Freedom of Information Officer,
Department of Finance
Clare House
303 Airport Road
Belfast
BT3 9ED
xxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xxx.xx
The exception to this is the provision of a driver for the Minister of the Department of
Justice which is the responsibility of the PSNI. The PSNI can be contacted at the
address provided above.
If you are unhappy at the way in which your request has been handled you may make a
complaint to the Information Commissioner and ask him to investigate whether the DOJ
has complied with the terms of the FOIA. You can write to the Information
Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Further details on the role of the Information Commissioner can be found at:
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Manager