asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many applications under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 have been made to the Northern Ireland Office; how many applications resulted in information; how many applications were refused; and in how many cases a fee was required. [HL670]
Since the Freedom of Information Act 2000 came into operation on 1 January 2005, until 30 June 2006 the Northern Ireland Office has received a total of 284 requests.
The following information applies for the Northern Ireland Office until 30 June 2006.
Information Fully disclosed Information not held Request refused in full Request refused in part Fees notices issued 101 58 36 43 15
The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) has committed to publishing quarterly updates in relation to departmental performance under FoI, including information on both the volume and outcome of requests. The bulletins up to the 2006 second quarter can be found on the DCA website at www.foi.gov.uk/reference/statisticsAndReports.htm and in the Libraries of both Houses.