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The Government received 551 requests for information under the Code on Access to Information in the second quarter of 2006, a spokesman for the Home Affairs Bureau said today (August 23).
This brings the number of requests received, since the introduction of the code in March, 1995, to 20,455. Of these, 18,333 requests (90%) were met, either in full (17,911 requests) or in part (422 requests). Only 397 requests (2%) were refused. A total of 941 requests (5%) were subsequently withdrawn and in respect of 699 requests (3%), the bureau/department concerned did not hold the requested information.
At June 30, 2006, 42 requests were still being processed by bureaus and departments.
Anyone who is dissatisfied with the response of a bureau/department under the code can ask that the matter be reviewed by a more senior officer. A complaint can also be lodged with the Ombudsman.
In the second quarter of 2006, the Ombudsman did not receive any complaint relating to the code.
"The statistics show that Government bureaus and departments have been complying with the code to the general satisfaction of the people concerned," the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:00
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