FOI Update: Probation Missed the Deadline, Then Claimed Cost Limit
On 21 July 2025 I submitted a straightforward Freedom of Information request to the Probation Service about referrals, safeguards and oversight relating to The Recruitment Junction. The statutory deadline passed without a proper response. When a reply finally arrived, it was late and relied on the Section 12 cost limit to refuse disclosure.
What I did next
I have removed the excuse. The request has now been split into five separate Freedom of Informations, one for each year: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 to date. Each is narrow and manageable. If the real issue was scope, that issue is solved.
The choice is theirs
I have sent a follow up that makes the position clear. They can comply with the original request properly or process the five separate year on year requests. Either route leads to disclosure. Repeating delay only compounds the seriousness of the issues at hand.
Why this matters
This is not point scoring. It is about public accountability and the right to information. When public bodies handle FOI lawfully and on time, trust goes up. When they stall and obstruct, trust goes down. I am giving them every opportunity to choose the former.
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