FOI statistics April to June 2007

The central government quarterly monitoring statistics for April-June 2007 have been published.

Executive Summary

Departments of State reported receiving 4,084 “non-routine” information requests during the second quarter of 2007 (Q2). Other monitored bodies received 3,904 requests. Across all monitored bodies, a total of 7,988 requests were received, of which 93 per cent had been processed at the time of monitoring. This includes 154 requests handled under the amended Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) which came into force on 1 January 2005. [see Table 1]

The 7,988 requests across all monitored bodies received in the second quarter of 2007 is just a dozen more than the 7,976 received during the corresponding quarter of 2006. [see Table A]

During Q2 of 2007, 91 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 the same as in both of the previous two quarters, but a little lower than in the corresponding quarter of 2006. [see Table 2 and Table B]

Of all “resolvable” requests received during Q2 of 2007 (i.e. requests where it was possible to make a substantive decision on whether to release the information being sought), 61 per cent were granted in full, a slightly smaller proportion than in the previous quarter. [see Table 3 and Table C].

Although the number of requests received by all monitored bodies was more or less the same as the corresponding period of 2006, the number of requests received by government departments actually fell by 5%.

Given the renewed emphasis that is being placed on vexatious requests, it would also be helpful if figures on the use of this provision could be included within Table 4 in future.

Read the full report.

Annual report on FOI in central government 2006

The Ministry of Justice has published the Annual Report on the FOI Act for 2006 which includes the statistics on the performance of central government in handling requests.

Foreword by Lord Falconer of Thoroton:

"It has been more than 2 years since the Freedom of Information Act came into force bringing about hugely significant reform that has made government and public authorities more open than ever before. At the core of Freedom of Information is the desire to bring about better government. From an increasingly beneficial impact on decision making to instilling a culture of openness and routine publication, a far greater amount of information is now more accessible than ever known before. The Act has had a positive effect on making the government and public authorities more accountable to the people they are there to serve."

Download the full report.

FOI statistics October to December 2006

The eight quarterly report providing FOI statistics for central government has been published by the DCA, covering the period October to December 2006:

Executive Summary

Departments of State reported receiving 4,500 “non-routine” information requests during the fourth quarter of 2006 (Q4). Other monitored bodies received 3,500 requests. These totals include 190 requests handled under the amended Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs).

During Q4 of 2006, 91 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.

Of all "resolvable" requests received during Q4 of 2006, 59 per cent were granted in full.

In 2006, monitored bodies had a cumulative total of 1085 requests referred for Internal Review on the grounds that information was withheld. Of the 864 Internal Reviews with a known outcome at the time of monitoring, 77 per cent resulted in the request’s initial handling being upheld in full.

Interestingly the volume of requests to central government has increased:

"This overall total for Q4 of 2006 is 3.5 per cent greater than in the corresponding quarter last year (i.e. Q4 of 2005). The number of requests received by Departments of State increased by 13 per cent during this 12-month period, but the total received by other monitored bodies fell by 7 per cent."

On timelines, performance slipped slightly:

"Across all monitored bodies, 83 per cent of requests during Q4 of 2006 were sent a response within this standard deadline. Ninety-one per cent of requests received during Q4 were "in time", in that they either received a response within the standard deadline or were subject to a permitted deadline extension. Both of these measures, are slightly lower than in the preceding two quarters, but performance compares favourably with the corresponding quarter in the previous year.

It is notable that there have been small "dips" in timeliness performance in the final quarters of both the 2005 and 2006 calendar years. This suggests that there may be a seasonal factor at work here - possibly an effect of staff being on leave over the Christmas period."

The report also provides details of the duration of deadline extensions for the whole of 2006:

"the commonest period for which a deadline was extended [in the 2006 calendar year] was more than 40 days, accounting for 26 per cent of all extensions. However, almost a half (49 per cent) of completed, deadline-extended requests were subject to extensions of no more than 20 working days, and almost three quarters (74 per cent) were subject to extensions of not more than 40 days."

Read the full report.