FOI statistics July-Sept 2008

The quarterly statistics bulletin on the handling of freedom of information requests by central government bodies has been published.

Executive summary

Departments of State reported receiving 4,938 “non-routine” information requests during the third quarter of 2008 (Q3). Other monitored bodies received 3,887 requests. Across all monitored bodies, a total of 8,825 requests were received, of which 92 per cent had been processed at the time of monitoring. This includes 150 requests handled under the amended Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) which came into force on 1 January 2005. [see Table 1]

The 8,825 requests across all monitored bodies received in the third quarter of 2008 is 16 per cent greater than the 7,580 received during the corresponding quarter of 2007. [see Table A]

During Q3 of 2008, 88 per cent of all monitored bodies’ requests (excluding those “on hold” or lapsed) were “in time”, in that they were processed within the statutory deadline* or were subject to a permitted deadline extension. This figure is marginally higher than in the previous quarter, but lower than in the corresponding quarter of 2007. [see Table 2 and Table B]

Of all “resolvable” requests received during Q3 of 2008 (i.e. requests where it was possible to make a substantive decision on whether to release the information being sought), 57 per cent were granted in full, a small decrease compared to the previous quarter. [see Table 3 and Table C]

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Statistics on implementation in central government
Q3: July – September 2008