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 3128
UK Border Agency 3344
Department for Education 3829
Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) 3894
Brighton and Hove City Council 4147
Ministry of Justice 4193
Transport for London 5349
Ministry of Defence 5518
Department for Work and Pensions 10330
Home Office 11522

Public bodies with the most successful requests

Public Body Percentage of total requests
University of Abertay Dundee 90
Bournemouth University 90
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 91
Middlesex University 91
Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 91
University of the West of Scotland 91
Harper Adams University 92
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh 92
Brunel University 95
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service 98

Public bodies with the fewest successful requests

Public Body Percentage of total requests
National Crime Agency 4
Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration 12
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons 15
Animal Health 18
NHS Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group 20
Prime Minister’s Office 21
University of Southampton 23
Supreme Court of the United Kingdom 24
Attorney General’s Office 24
Insolvency Service 25

Public bodies with most overdue requests

Public Body Percentage of requests that are overdue
General Council of the Bar 37
Norfolk Primary Care Trust (PCT) 37
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 38
Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 39
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 39
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons 42
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 45
Coventry University 48
University of Southampton 50
NHS Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group 59

Public bodies that most frequently replied with "Not Held"

Public Body Percentage of total requests
Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner 42
Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner 43
London Councils 46
Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration 46
UK Financial Investments Limited 49
City of London Police Authority 51
British Transport Police Authority 54
Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner 54
Greater Manchester Police Authority 55
NHS Health Scotland 58

People

Most frequent requesters

Last 28 days

  1. L

    Lady Fleming

    Joined in 2017

    388

  2. B

    Baptiste GC

    Joined in 2019

    312

  3. M

    Mr P T Read

    Joined in 2017

    149

  4. W

    Will Dale

    Joined in 2019

    137

  5. M

    Matthew Dickinson

    Joined in 2019

    93

  6. D

    Dean Hough

    Joined in 2019

    71

  7. S

    Samuel Hall

    Joined in 2019

    66

  8. K

    Katharine Tylko-Hill

    Joined in 2009

    51

  9. M

    Mark Foxwell

    Joined in 2018

    50

  10. K

    Kate Garbers

    Joined in 2018

    50

All time

  1. Profile image for Doug Paulley

    Doug Paulley

    Joined in 2010

    2584

  2. J

    J Taylor

    Joined in 2015

    1956

  3. Profile image for Gavin Chait

    Gavin Chait

    Joined in 2016

    1606

  4. R

    Robert Cann

    Joined in 2012

    1561

  5. N

    Natalie Davis

    Joined in 2009

    1517

  6. J

    John Wicker

    Joined in 2012

    1497

  7. M

    Margaret Campbell

    Joined in 2008

    1456

  8. N

    Nicola

    Joined in 2010

    1368

  9. B

    Basia Cummings

    Joined in 2018

    1182

  10. P

    Pat James (Account suspended)

    Joined in 2013

    1181

Most frequent annotators

Last 28 days

  1. M

    M Boyce

    Joined in 2011

    24

  2. J

    Jason

    Joined in 2016

    15

  3. Profile image for Richard Taylor

    Richard Taylor

    Joined in 2008

    11

  4. L

    Lewis Western

    Joined in 2018

    10

  5. M

    Matt Knight

    Joined in 2018

    10

  6. E

    Edward Williams

    Joined in 2013

    9

  7. M

    Mr P Swift

    Joined in 2011

    8

  8. R

    Rebekah Wryatt

    Joined in 2018

    8

  9. J

    J Roberts

    Joined in 2013

    7

  10. Profile image for phsothefacts Pressure Group

    phsothefacts Pressure Group

    Joined in 2014

    7

All time

  1. J

    Jt Oakley

    Joined in 2013

    2049

  2. Profile image for Richard Taylor

    Richard Taylor

    Joined in 2008

    1885

  3. A

    Abdul Hai

    Joined in 2010

    1391

  4. Profile image for Paul Cardin

    Paul Cardin

    Joined in 2008

    999

  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

    922

  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

    737

  10. Profile image for Doug Paulley

    Doug Paulley

    Joined in 2010

    719

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 23
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 20
2018-06-25 19
2018-07-02 16
2018-07-09 14
2018-07-16 129
2018-07-23 50
2018-07-30 45
2018-08-06 171
2018-08-13 74
2018-08-20 484
2018-08-27 17
2018-09-03 4
2018-09-10 14
2018-09-17 6
2018-09-24 4
2018-10-01 14
2018-10-08 14
2018-10-15 14
2018-10-22 44
2018-10-29 87
2018-11-05 72
2018-11-12 12
2018-11-19 16
2018-11-26 5
2018-12-03 19
2018-12-10 41
2018-12-17 30
2018-12-24 193
2018-12-31 9
2019-01-07 20
2019-01-14 112
2019-01-21 1011
2019-01-28 81
2019-02-04 22
2019-02-11 18
2019-02-18 20