Press Releases

     The Government received a total of 596 requests for information under the Code on Access to Information in the first quarter of 2010, a spokesman for the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said today (June 22).

     The total number of requests received since the introduction of the Code in March 1995 and up to the end of March 2010 amounted to 28,785. Of these, 1,543 requests were subsequently withdrawn by the requestors, 1,135 requests covered cases in which the bureaux/departments concerned did not hold the requested information and 68 requests were still being processed by bureaux and departments.

     Among the 26,039 requests that covered information held by bureaux/departments and that the bureaux/departments responded to, 25,431 requests (98%) were met, either in full (24,839 requests) or in part (592 requests); 608 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 first quarter of 2010, The Ombudsman received eight complaints relating to requests for information.
    
     The Ombudsman completed investigation of 10 complaint cases in this quarter. Of these 10 completed cases, one was unsubstantiated while nine were settled by rendering assistance and clarification to the complainants. Separately, The Ombudsman decided not to pursue two complaints having considered the circumstances of the case whereas one complaint fell outside The Ombudsman's jurisdiction. As at March 31, 2010, The Ombudsman was still investigating 14 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/Tuesday, June 22, 2010