Annual central government FOI statistics 2010

The Ministry of Justice has published the 2010 annual statistics on the implementation and operation of the FOI Act in central government.

The report shows:

• central government bodies received 43,921 "non routine" information requests in 2010, 8% more than in 2009. 
• Departments of State received 27,410 of these requests, an increase of 16% compared to 2009. Other monitored bodies received 16,511 requests, 2% less than in 2009.
• the Ministry of Justice received the largest number of requests (3,174), followed by the Department of Work and Pensions (3,145) Home Office (3,069), Ministry of Defence (2,956), Department for Transport (2,864), Treasury (2,064) and Department of Health (2,023).
• 86% of all requests were answered within the standard 20 working day deadline, compared to 82% in 2009. Departments of State answered 83% of requests within 20 working days, compared to 91% for other monitored bodies.
• 57% of all "resolvable" requests were granted in full, 15% were withheld in part and 25% withheld in full. 

Ranked in order of their performance in meeting the 20 working day deadline (with no. of requests received in brackets), the list of departments is as follows:

• Department of Health 99% (2,023)
• HM Treasury 95% (2,062)
• Attorney General's Office 93% (127)
• Department for Transport 89% (2,887)
• Communities and Local Government 89% (929)
• Northern Ireland Office 89% (214)
• DEFRA 87% (551)
• Wales Office 87% (119)
• Department of Work and Pensions 87% (3,145)
• Department for International Development 86% (402)
• Scotland Office 86% (139)
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport 85% (607)
• Export Credit Guarantee Department 85% (65)
• Department of Energy and Climate Change 85% (576)
• Ministry of Justice 84% (3,174)
• Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 83% (1,034)
• Government Equalities Office 80% (106)
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office 79% (1,184)
• Home Office 77% (3,069)
• Department for Education (76% (880)
• Cabinet Office 72% (1,081)
• Ministry of Defence 60% (2,916)

The report is available as a pdf here. The statistics can be downloaded in Excel or CSV format here.