|
The Government received a total of 526 requests for information under the Code on Access to Information in the third quarter of 2009, a spokesman for the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said today (December 4).
The total number of requests received since the introduction of the Code in March 1995 and up to the end of September 2009 amounted to 27,717. Of these, 1,464 requests were subsequently withdrawn by the requestors, 1,073 requests covered cases in which the bureaux/departments concerned did not hold the requested information and 55 requests were still being processed by bureaux and departments.
Among the 25,125 requests which covered information held by bureaux/departments and which the bureaux/departments had responded to, 24,549 requests (98%) were met, either in full (23,986 requests) or in part (563 requests); 576 requests (2%) were refused.
Any member of the public who is dissatisfied with the response of a bureau/department under the Code may request the matter be reviewed. He/she may also lodge a complaint with The Ombudsman.
In the third quarter of 2009, The Ombudsman received 11 complaints relating to requests for information.
The Ombudsman completed investigation of six complaint cases in this quarter. Of these six completed cases, one was substantiated while five were settled by rendering assistance and clarification to the complainants. Separately, two complaints were withdrawn by the complainants. As at September 30, 2009, The Ombudsman was still investigating 13 complaint cases.
"The statistics show that Government bureaux and departments have been complying with the Code to the general satisfaction of members of the public," the spokesman said.
Ends/Friday, December 4, 2009
|
