WhatDoTheyKnow Statistics

Here you can see how well public bodies have responded to requests on WhatDoTheyKnow and meet the people most actively using it. You can also find statistics about requests over time.

Public Bodies

This section on public body statistics is currently experimental, so there are some caveats that should be borne in mind:

  • The percentages are calculated with respect to the total number of requests, which includes invalid requests; this is a known problem that will be fixed in a later release.
  • The classification of requests (e.g. to say whether they were successful or not) is done manually by users and administrators of the site, which means that they are subject to error.
  • Requests are considered successful if they were classified as either 'Successful' or 'Partially Successful'.
  • Requests are considered overdue if they are in the 'Overdue' or 'Very Overdue' states.
  • The error bars shown are 95% confidence intervals for the hypothesized underlying proportion (i.e. that which you would obtain by making an infinite number of requests through this site to that authority). In other words, the population being sampled is all the current and future requests to the authority through this site, rather than, say, all requests that have been made to the public body by any means.
  • Hidden requests are not counted. Unclassified requests do not count towards the percentages.

These graphs were partly inspired by some statistics that Mark Goodge produced for WhatDoTheyKnow, so thanks are due to him.

Public bodies with the most requests

Public Body Number of requests
British Broadcasting Corporation 2974
UK Border Agency 3351
Department for Education 3423
Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) 3539
Ministry of Justice 3728
Brighton and Hove City Council 3991
Transport for London 4832
Ministry of Defence 5051
Department for Work and Pensions 9652
Home Office 11179

Public bodies with the most successful requests

Public Body Percentage of total requests
Canterbury Christ Church University 91
Liverpool Hope University 91
Nottingham Trent University 91
Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 91
Heriot-Watt University 91
University of Leicester 92
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh 92
Bournemouth University 93
University of Dundee 94
Brunel University 96

Public bodies with the fewest successful requests

Public Body Percentage of total requests
National Crime Agency 3
Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency 12
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons 16
Animal Health 18
Prime Minister’s Office 20
University of Southampton 21
Supreme Court of the United Kingdom 21
Attorney General’s Office 23
Insolvency Service 24
City of London Police Authority 25

Public bodies with most overdue requests

Public Body Percentage of requests that are overdue
Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust 37
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 37
Norfolk Primary Care Trust (PCT) 37
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons 39
Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 39
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 41
General Council of the Bar 42
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 48
Coventry University 48
University of Southampton 51

Public bodies that most frequently replied with "Not Held"

Public Body Percentage of total requests
Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru / National Assembly for Wales 38
Antrim Borough Council 39
Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner 41
London Councils 44
Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency 46
Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner 46
City of London Police Authority 53
Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner 54
Greater Manchester Police Authority 55
NHS Health Scotland 59

People

Most frequent requesters

Last 28 days

  1. Profile image for Gavin Chait

    Gavin Chait

    Joined in 2016

    113

  2. A

    AIDAN QUINN

    Joined in 2017

    101

  3. C

    Chris Sharman

    Joined in 2018

    100

  4. K

    K. Huijbers

    Joined in 2018

    72

  5. D

    Daniel Shaw

    Joined in 2018

    70

  6. L

    Lee Ballard

    Joined in 2018

    60

  7. M

    M Makam

    Joined in 2017

    59

  8. H

    H. Kruse

    Joined in 2018

    45

  9. R

    Robert Cann

    Joined in 2012

    43

  10. M

    M. Kemmerling

    Joined in 2018

    40

All time

  1. Profile image for Doug Paulley

    Doug Paulley

    Joined in 2010

    2207

  2. J

    J Taylor

    Joined in 2015

    1956

  3. R

    Robert Cann

    Joined in 2012

    1543

  4. N

    Natalie Davis

    Joined in 2009

    1517

  5. J

    John Wicker

    Joined in 2012

    1497

  6. M

    Margaret Campbell

    Joined in 2008

    1456

  7. Profile image for Gavin Chait

    Gavin Chait

    Joined in 2016

    1403

  8. N

    Nicola

    Joined in 2010

    1368

  9. P

    Pat James (Account suspended)

    Joined in 2013

    1181

  10. P

    Paul Evans

    Joined in 2014

    1174

Most frequent annotators

Last 28 days

  1. Profile image for Martin McGartland

    Martin McGartland

    Joined in 2010

    65

  2. Profile image for Frank Zola

    Frank Zola

    Joined in 2012

    24

  3. G

    Gwen Swinburn

    Joined in 2013

    14

  4. Profile image for Peter Michael Stephenson

    Peter Michael Stephenson

    Joined in 2017

    10

  5. Profile image for Dr Neil Bhatia

    Dr Neil Bhatia

    Joined in 2008

    9

  6. D

    Daniel Morris

    Joined in 2015

    7

  7. A

    Andrew McCulloch

    Joined in 2015

    7

  8. M

    Mr P Swift

    Joined in 2011

    7

  9. S

    Stephen Whiteside

    Joined in 2011

    6

  10. M

    maxine mcgill

    Joined in 2015

    6

All time

  1. J

    Jt Oakley

    Joined in 2013

    2006

  2. Profile image for Richard Taylor

    Richard Taylor

    Joined in 2008

    1757

  3. A

    Abdul Hai

    Joined in 2010

    1352

  4. Profile image for Paul Cardin

    Paul Cardin

    Joined in 2008

    997

  5. Profile image for Trevor R Nunn

    Trevor R Nunn

    Joined in 2008

    956

  6. Profile image for D. Speers

    D. Speers

    Joined in 2011

    921

  7. I

    ivanataylor

    Joined in 2009

    814

  8. Profile image for Ganesh Sittampalam

    Ganesh Sittampalam

    Joined in 2008

    775

  9. Profile image for Dr Neil Bhatia

    Dr Neil Bhatia

    Joined in 2008

    735

  10. Profile image for Doug Paulley

    Doug Paulley

    Joined in 2010

    713

Requests

Hidden

From time to time requests need to be hidden on WhatDoTheyKnow. This can happen for a number of reasons. For example, the request could be about someone’s personal information that shouldn’t be public or the contents could be abusive.

Here you can see how often WhatDoTheyKnow administrators have hidden requests.

Week starting Request hide events
2007-12-10 0
2007-12-17 0
2007-12-24 0
2007-12-31 0
2008-01-07 0
2008-01-14 0
2008-01-21 0
2008-01-28 0
2008-02-04 0
2008-02-11 3
2008-02-18 1
2008-02-25 1
2008-03-03 2
2008-03-10 0
2008-03-17 1
2008-03-24 0
2008-03-31 0
2008-04-07 0
2008-04-14 1
2008-04-21 1
2008-04-28 0
2008-05-05 1
2008-05-12 0
2008-05-19 0
2008-05-26 0
2008-06-02 0
2008-06-09 0
2008-06-16 0
2008-06-23 0
2008-06-30 0
2008-07-07 1
2008-07-14 0
2008-07-21 0
2008-07-28 0
2008-08-04 0
2008-08-11 0
2008-08-18 0
2008-08-25 0
2008-09-01 1
2008-09-08 1
2008-09-15 0
2008-09-22 0
2008-09-29 0
2008-10-06 0
2008-10-13 0
2008-10-20 0
2008-10-27 0
2008-11-03 0
2008-11-10 0
2008-11-17 0
2008-11-24 0
2008-12-01 0
2008-12-08 0
2008-12-15 0
2008-12-22 0
2008-12-29 0
2009-01-05 0
2009-01-12 1
2009-01-19 0
2009-01-26 0
2009-02-02 0
2009-02-09 0
2009-02-16 0
2009-02-23 0
2009-03-02 0
2009-03-09 0
2009-03-16 0
2009-03-23 0
2009-03-30 0
2009-04-06 0
2009-04-13 0
2009-04-20 2
2009-04-27 0
2009-05-04 0
2009-05-11 0
2009-05-18 0
2009-05-25 0
2009-06-01 0
2009-06-08 0
2009-06-15 2
2009-06-22 1
2009-06-29 22
2009-07-06 1
2009-07-13 0
2009-07-20 7
2009-07-27 2
2009-08-03 2
2009-08-10 1
2009-08-17 31
2009-08-24 2
2009-08-31 1
2009-09-07 2
2009-09-14 1
2009-09-21 0
2009-09-28 1
2009-10-05 3
2009-10-12 1
2009-10-19 2
2009-10-26 1
2009-11-02 0
2009-11-09 4
2009-11-16 0
2009-11-23 1
2009-11-30 0
2009-12-07 1
2009-12-14 1
2009-12-21 0
2009-12-28 1
2010-01-04 1
2010-01-11 1
2010-01-18 0
2010-01-25 2
2010-02-01 2
2010-02-08 1
2010-02-15 0
2010-02-22 0
2010-03-01 0
2010-03-08 1
2010-03-15 1
2010-03-22 0
2010-03-29 2
2010-04-05 0
2010-04-12 0
2010-04-19 0
2010-04-26 0
2010-05-03 0
2010-05-10 0
2010-05-17 0
2010-05-24 0
2010-05-31 2
2010-06-07 0
2010-06-14 2
2010-06-21 1
2010-06-28 1
2010-07-05 0
2010-07-12 2
2010-07-19 4
2010-07-26 1
2010-08-02 1
2010-08-09 4
2010-08-16 3
2010-08-23 1
2010-08-30 0
2010-09-06 0
2010-09-13 2
2010-09-20 5
2010-09-27 1
2010-10-04 0
2010-10-11 0
2010-10-18 1
2010-10-25 2
2010-11-01 3
2010-11-08 4
2010-11-15 1
2010-11-22 0
2010-11-29 0
2010-12-06 0
2010-12-13 2
2010-12-20 8
2010-12-27 1
2011-01-03 2
2011-01-10 2
2011-01-17 3
2011-01-24 5
2011-01-31 1
2011-02-07 0
2011-02-14 7
2011-02-21 0
2011-02-28 0
2011-03-07 3
2011-03-14 1
2011-03-21 2
2011-03-28 0
2011-04-04 1
2011-04-11 1
2011-04-18 2
2011-04-25 0
2011-05-02 0
2011-05-09 0
2011-05-16 0
2011-05-23 1
2011-05-30 6
2011-06-06 4
2011-06-13 1
2011-06-20 4
2011-06-27 3
2011-07-04 1
2011-07-11 5
2011-07-18 56
2011-07-25 1
2011-08-01 1
2011-08-08 0
2011-08-15 1
2011-08-22 2
2011-08-29 3
2011-09-05 6
2011-09-12 2
2011-09-19 1
2011-09-26 0
2011-10-03 2
2011-10-10 2
2011-10-17 4
2011-10-24 2
2011-10-31 0
2011-11-07 1
2011-11-14 0
2011-11-21 10
2011-11-28 0
2011-12-05 2
2011-12-12 4
2011-12-19 3
2011-12-26 2
2012-01-02 2
2012-01-09 7
2012-01-16 3
2012-01-23 9
2012-01-30 7
2012-02-06 7
2012-02-13 4
2012-02-20 6
2012-02-27 8
2012-03-05 4
2012-03-12 3
2012-03-19 4
2012-03-26 4
2012-04-02 13
2012-04-09 4
2012-04-16 11
2012-04-23 8
2012-04-30 4
2012-05-07 3
2012-05-14 3
2012-05-21 0
2012-05-28 1
2012-06-04 5
2012-06-11 1
2012-06-18 2
2012-06-25 3
2012-07-02 9
2012-07-09 19
2012-07-16 5
2012-07-23 8
2012-07-30 2
2012-08-06 6
2012-08-13 12
2012-08-20 2
2012-08-27 1
2012-09-03 2
2012-09-10 4
2012-09-17 3
2012-09-24 0
2012-10-01 9
2012-10-08 10
2012-10-15 9
2012-10-22 5
2012-10-29 6
2012-11-05 17
2012-11-12 5
2012-11-19 11
2012-11-26 6
2012-12-03 3
2012-12-10 6
2012-12-17 0
2012-12-24 2
2012-12-31 3
2013-01-07 22
2013-01-14 10
2013-01-21 4
2013-01-28 7
2013-02-04 27
2013-02-11 3
2013-02-18 32
2013-02-25 5
2013-03-04 4
2013-03-11 7
2013-03-18 12
2013-03-25 26
2013-04-01 15
2013-04-08 7
2013-04-15 11
2013-04-22 2
2013-04-29 5
2013-05-06 3
2013-05-13 3
2013-05-20 4
2013-05-27 16
2013-06-03 6
2013-06-10 21
2013-06-17 10
2013-06-24 8
2013-07-01 4
2013-07-08 2
2013-07-15 1
2013-07-22 7
2013-07-29 2
2013-08-05 4
2013-08-12 10
2013-08-19 7
2013-08-26 2
2013-09-02 1
2013-09-09 1
2013-09-16 14
2013-09-23 4
2013-09-30 6
2013-10-07 5
2013-10-14 8
2013-10-21 12
2013-10-28 5
2013-11-04 2
2013-11-11 3
2013-11-18 6
2013-11-25 0
2013-12-02 0
2013-12-09 2
2013-12-16 6
2013-12-23 2
2013-12-30 2
2014-01-06 1
2014-01-13 5
2014-01-20 0
2014-01-27 3
2014-02-03 4
2014-02-10 18
2014-02-17 3
2014-02-24 3
2014-03-03 7
2014-03-10 1
2014-03-17 5
2014-03-24 0
2014-03-31 4
2014-04-07 9
2014-04-14 0
2014-04-21 5
2014-04-28 7
2014-05-05 9
2014-05-12 5
2014-05-19 5
2014-05-26 2
2014-06-02 1
2014-06-09 15
2014-06-16 4
2014-06-23 3
2014-06-30 107
2014-07-07 4
2014-07-14 4
2014-07-21 1
2014-07-28 7
2014-08-04 2
2014-08-11 4
2014-08-18 2
2014-08-25 3
2014-09-01 1
2014-09-08 5
2014-09-15 3
2014-09-22 0
2014-09-29 7
2014-10-06 10
2014-10-13 3
2014-10-20 1
2014-10-27 1
2014-11-03 42
2014-11-10 1
2014-11-17 9
2014-11-24 8
2014-12-01 12
2014-12-08 3
2014-12-15 4
2014-12-22 1
2014-12-29 0
2015-01-05 5
2015-01-12 4
2015-01-19 1
2015-01-26 16
2015-02-02 1
2015-02-09 8
2015-02-16 3
2015-02-23 2
2015-03-02 6
2015-03-09 4
2015-03-16 11
2015-03-23 3
2015-03-30 10
2015-04-06 15
2015-04-13 7
2015-04-20 7
2015-04-27 2
2015-05-04 4
2015-05-11 16
2015-05-18 6
2015-05-25 4
2015-06-01 11
2015-06-08 10
2015-06-15 6
2015-06-22 20
2015-06-29 6
2015-07-06 15
2015-07-13 15
2015-07-20 27
2015-07-27 6
2015-08-03 9
2015-08-10 7
2015-08-17 20
2015-08-24 8
2015-08-31 4
2015-09-07 9
2015-09-14 11
2015-09-21 4
2015-09-28 5
2015-10-05 10
2015-10-12 8
2015-10-19 9
2015-10-26 2
2015-11-02 8
2015-11-09 6
2015-11-16 6
2015-11-23 0
2015-11-30 5
2015-12-07 4
2015-12-14 3
2015-12-21 3
2015-12-28 3
2016-01-04 10
2016-01-11 5
2016-01-18 6
2016-01-25 9
2016-02-01 52
2016-02-08 4
2016-02-15 5
2016-02-22 21
2016-02-29 8
2016-03-07 16
2016-03-14 2
2016-03-21 5
2016-03-28 9
2016-04-04 8
2016-04-11 13
2016-04-18 2
2016-04-25 9
2016-05-02 3
2016-05-09 9
2016-05-16 7
2016-05-23 4
2016-05-30 14
2016-06-06 8
2016-06-13 11
2016-06-20 5
2016-06-27 10
2016-07-04 3
2016-07-11 9
2016-07-18 13
2016-07-25 6
2016-08-01 8
2016-08-08 5
2016-08-15 10
2016-08-22 19
2016-08-29 11
2016-09-05 5
2016-09-12 13
2016-09-19 16
2016-09-26 3
2016-10-03 8
2016-10-10 14
2016-10-17 47
2016-10-24 32
2016-10-31 4
2016-11-07 3
2016-11-14 2
2016-11-21 7
2016-11-28 12
2016-12-05 6
2016-12-12 7
2016-12-19 6
2016-12-26 5
2017-01-02 5
2017-01-09 6
2017-01-16 10
2017-01-23 9
2017-01-30 11
2017-02-06 8
2017-02-13 8
2017-02-20 4
2017-02-27 37
2017-03-06 18
2017-03-13 24
2017-03-20 14
2017-03-27 9
2017-04-03 27
2017-04-10 11
2017-04-17 9
2017-04-24 13
2017-05-01 40
2017-05-08 9
2017-05-15 7
2017-05-22 6
2017-05-29 26
2017-06-05 13
2017-06-12 10
2017-06-19 20
2017-06-26 25
2017-07-03 8
2017-07-10 6
2017-07-17 5
2017-07-24 27
2017-07-31 18
2017-08-07 24
2017-08-14 13
2017-08-21 15
2017-08-28 10
2017-09-04 23
2017-09-11 23
2017-09-18 9
2017-09-25 31
2017-10-02 18
2017-10-09 12
2017-10-16 13
2017-10-23 21
2017-10-30 17
2017-11-06 14
2017-11-13 15
2017-11-20 49
2017-11-27 14
2017-12-04 35
2017-12-11 9
2017-12-18 19
2017-12-25 43
2018-01-01 16
2018-01-08 8
2018-01-15 21
2018-01-22 15
2018-01-29 12
2018-02-05 11
2018-02-12 30
2018-02-19 9
2018-02-26 22
2018-03-05 7
2018-03-12 57
2018-03-19 17
2018-03-26 8
2018-04-02 4
2018-04-09 7
2018-04-16 6
2018-04-23 14
2018-04-30 7
2018-05-07 6
2018-05-14 4
2018-05-21 9
2018-05-28 8
2018-06-04 34
2018-06-11 9
2018-06-18 0