Between 2008 and 2010, Shanghai government agencies received a total of 33,167 access requests. The chart shows the total number of requests for each year. In 2009 a total of 11,733 requests were received, an increase of 2,385 from 2008. The requests in 2010 (12006)reached the second highest annual figure, although it was still a little bit lower than that in 2005 (12465).
In 2009, the Shanghai government was committed to making it one of the regions with the highest transparency across the country. It determines to establish a push model of FOI which takes information requests as a last resort. The Hunan government, which is based on a comparatively developing area, is also keen to the push or proactive disclosure way, but it acknowledges that this way can help it focus more on other more urgent tasks in its locality.
Source:Suggestions on Further Strengthening the Work of FOI in Shanghai No20 [2009]of the Shanghai Government; The Hunan Government, Freedom of Information Regulations 2007 Annual Report 2008.
The number of administrative reconsideration and lawsuits has increased significantly during the last five years. In 2008, 683 applications were made for administrative reconsideration of agency decisions on access requests, 100 more than the total figure of the last four years (2004-2007). There were 258 applications for court review of decisions concerning access requests, 1.5 times as many as the total number of the previous four years (2004-2007). The number of complaints about FOI matters received by government agencies administering FOI work was not available in the 2008 report. However, previous reports indicated that this number should be much higher than that of last year. The 2008’s annual report also showed that government agencies spent 57.5 thousand yuan (about $84 thousand) on litigation. The improvement of public awareness of FOI legislation may have contributed to this significant increase.
Under the Shanghai FOI Rules, an applicant who is dissatisfied with the decision of an agency on his or her initial FOI request can apply to the next higher agency for administrative reconsideration. In 2008, the Legislative Affairs Office of Shanghai received 365 applications for administrative reconsideration, and accepted 352 applications. This Office made 350 decisions on administrative reconsideration, with 28 (8%) of those decisions reversing the original decisions, decreasing 3.3% from last year (11.3%). During the last five years, the percentage of revoking the original decisions has fallen dramatically from 46.2% (2004) to 8% (2008), indicating that FOI general officials have improved their professional knowledge about the Rules and quality of service for access requests.
Between 1 May 2004 (the date of commencement of the Shanghai FOI Rules) and 31 December 2008, Shanghai government agencies received a total of 44,670 access requests. The following Chart shows the total number of requests for each year since the commencement of the FOI Rules in 2004. It should be noted that in 2004 the FOI Rules operated for seven months only. In 2008 a total of 9,388 requests were received, an increase of 2,903 (44.77%) from 2007. The requests in 2008 reached the second highest annual figure, although it was still much lower than that in 2005 (12465).
Between 1 May 2004 (the date of commencement of the Shanghai FOI Rules) and 31 December 2007,
The number of requests in 2007 is 6485. This is a decrease of 13.91% compared to 2006. 6852 and 5893 requests have been responded in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The percentage of full-disclosure responses in 2007 is lower than that of last year (compared with 67.61% in 2007 and 75.06% in 2006). However, the percentage of refusals increases from 20.48% in 2006 to 27.32% in 2007, and more refusals fall within the scope of the six stipulated exemptions (compared with 25.34% in 2007 and only 13.40% in 2006). It indicates that the quality of requests or the public bodies’ capacity to handle FOI requests is increasing.
In
Taken from Shanghai Informatization Commission and translated by Ben Wei
Taken from Shanghai Informatization Commission and translated by Ben Wei
Taken from Shanghai Informatization Commission and translated by Ben Wei
Under the Shanghai FOI Rules, an applicant who is dissatisfied with the decision of an agency on his or her initial FOI request can apply to the next higher agency for administrative reconsideration. In 2006, the Legislative Affairs Office of Shanghai received 124 applications for administrative reconsideration, and accepted 106 applications. This Office made 79 decisions on administrative reconsideration, with 18 (17.2%) of those decisions reversing the original decisions, decreasing 5.6% from last year (22.8%).
Note: The Office of Shanghai Municipal FOI Joint Conference, The Report of Evaluation Results concerning FOI Work for 2006 (2007)Shanghai Municipal Informatization Commission
There are 417 requests received by Shanghai Governments in August 2007. 407 requests (including the number of requests received last month) have been responded in this month. Of which, 272 were granted in full, accounting for 66.8%, while only 22 in part (5.4%). 113 (27.8%) were refused. Of these refusals, 25 were refused as the information requested are not held by the relative departments, 40 were refused as the information requested is not existed, and 10 was rejected as the information requested is unclear. The information requested by 10 applicants did not fall into the scope of information defined in Shanghai FOI legislation. 21 requests fell into the stipulated six FOI exemptions. Exemptions of state secrets and deliberation were typically used in this month. The rest (7) fell into “other reasons”, mainly due to withdrawal of access requests and letters.
Letters: the system of letters and visits can be traced back to the primitive society in the reign of Rao and Xun, and this system is inherent in today’s
There are 387 requests received by Shanghai Governments in July 2007. 340 requests (including the number of requests received last month) have been responded in this month. Of which, 225 were granted in full, accounting for 66.2%, while only 16 in part (4.7%). 99 (29.1%) were refused. Of these refusals, 43 were refused as the information requested are not held by the relative departments, 26 were refused as the information requested is not existed, and 13 was rejected as the information requested is unclear. The information requested by 1 applicant did not fall into the scope of information defined in Shanghai FOI legislation. 11 requests fell into the stipulated six FOI exemptions. Exemptions of state secrets and deliberation were typically used in this month. The rest (5) fell into “other reasons”, mainly due to withdrawal of access requests.
The number of requests in the first half of 2007 is 3544. This is an increase of 15% compared to the first half of 2006. The percentage of full-disclosure responses is higher than that of the firs half of last year (compared with 80% in 2007 and 74% in 2006). However, the percentage of refusals decreases from 27% in 2006 to 16% in 2007, but more refusals fall within the scope of the six stipulated exemptions (17% in 2007 versus only 7% in 2006). It indicates that the quality of requests or the public bodies’ capacity to handle FOI requests is improving.
There are 640 requests received by Shanghai Governments in June 2007. 727 requests (including the number of requests received last month) have been responded in this month. Of which, 592 were granted in full, accounting for 81.4%, while only 27 in part (3.7%). 108 (14.9%) were refused. Of these refusals, 27 were refused as the information requested are not held by the relative departments, 40 were refused as the information requested is not existed, and 17 was rejected as the information requested is unclear. The information requested by one applicant did not fall into the scope of information defined in Shanghai FOI legislation. 18 requests fell into the stipulated six FOI exemptions. Exemptions of state secrets and deliberation were typically used in this month. The rest (5) fell into “other reasons”, for example withdrawal of requests.
"> " title="permanent link">#There are 416 requests received by Shanghai Governments in May 2007. 441 requests have been responded in this month. Of which, 277 were granted in full, accounting for 62.8%, while only 13 in part (2.9%). 151 (34.2%) were refused. Of these refusals, 70 were refused as the information requested are not held by the relative departments, 41 were refused as the information requested is not existed, and 17 was rejected as the information requested is unclear. The information requested by other 3 applicants did not fall into the scope of information defined in Shanghai FOI legislation. 9 requests fell into the stipulated six FOI exemptions. Exemptions of state secrets and deliberation were typically employed in this month. The rest (11) fell into “other reasons”, such as applicants’ withdrawal from their applications and requests not for information.
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There are 493 requests received by Shanghai Governments in April 2007. 399 requests have been responded in this month. Of which, 282 were granted in full, accounting for 70.7%, while only 12 in part (3%). 105 (26.3%) were refused. Of these refusals, 37 were refused as the information requested are not held by the relative departments, 37 were refused as the information requested is not existed, and 18 was rejected as the information requested is unclear. The information requested by other 3 applicants did not fall into the scope of information defined in Shanghai FOI legislation. 5 requests fell into the stipulated six FOI exemptions. Exemptions of state secrets and deliberation were typically employed in this month. The rest (5) fell into “other reasons”, for example applicants’ withdrawal from their applications.
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