I understand that the Information Commissioner's office adopted new working procedures in April 2002 for dealing with both review applications – appeals – and historical review cases. All review cases received from that time would be dealt with immediately while cases received prior to 1 April 2002 would be processed alongside current cases. At that stage, in April 2002, the commissioner envisaged that the arrears cases would be dealt with over a three-year period. I understand that this arrangement worked quite well initially but has now been affected by a significant increase in new review applications being received in the course of this year, 2003, and the office is now re-considering its targets on clearing arrears cases. The commissioner's office is currently preparing a statement of strategy for the three year period 2004 – 2006 in which it will develop new business plans to address, inter alia, the issue of the backlog of pre-April 2002 cases.
I am informed by the Office of the Information Commissioner that there were 912 accepted review applications on hands on 31 October 2003, while a further 70 review applications were at screening stage awaiting a decision as to whether they constitute valid applications. By comparison, there were 602 accepted review applications – appeals – on hands at 31 December 2002 with a further 47 cases at screening stage. This increase of approximately 50% in the "on hands" figure occurred despite an increase of approximately 25% in the rate of completion of cases in 2003 compared with 2002; it is a direct consequence of a significant increase in the level of review applications to the commissioner in 2003. In the ten-month period to 31 October 2003, the commissioner has accepted 868 cases for review; during the same ten-month period in 2002, the commissioner accepted only 626 cases for review.
At present, the commissioner is dealing with current applications as well as with older cases, including some applications received in 2000. Any average figure would, therefore, need to be treated with caution. Figures are not currently available as to the average time taken to conclude reviews – appeals. However, the commissioner hopes to be able to give fuller details of case completion timescales in her annual report for 2003.