USA (Department of Justice)
1966 FOI Statute applies to 90 Federal agencies, but not to the White House, Congress or to the judiciary.
In 2002, 2.4 million FOI Act requests were made at a Federal level costing an estimated $300 million to respond to.
There is no Federal Commissioner. If an applicant does not receive the information they can make an administrative appeal (only 2% do so.)
Can also choose to go to Court of which there are 300-400 cases per annum. In 35-50% of cases the individual represents themselves. 'The government generally wins.'
The Department of Justice runs an education programme for Government employees on the Act.
'Sept 11 has had a limited but real effect on FOI' e.g. no disclosure of blueprints of federal buildings or inundation maps in the event of breaches of dams.