GENERAL STATE OF THE OFFICE The number of cases opened on the basis of a complaint increased from 4,156 in 2009 to 4,827 in 2010. 119 cases were opened as a result of the Ombudsman’s option to investigate cases on his own initiative. 23 cases were inspection cases and 25 cases were opened as part of the office’s responsibilities in connection with OPCAT ­(please see the Annual Report of the Parliamentary Ombudsman, 2009, pp. 18-19, for further information). No own-initiative projects were initiated in 2010. The number of cases concluded in 2010 was 4,853 as against 4,415 in 2009. (In addition, 60 cases connected with an own-initiative project were concluded in April 2010). Of the cases concluded, 875 (18.0 per cent) were substantively investigated, i.e. the Ombudsman generally concluded these cases with a statement, and 3,978 (82.0 per cent) were rejected for various reasons (see p. 73 for further information). Number of cases concluded in the past ten years 5,000 4,853 4,000 3,000 4,094 3,684 3,726 2001 2002 4,283 3,964 3,951 4,188 4,164 2007 2008 4,415 2,000 1,000 0 2003 2004 2005 2006 2009 2010 Usually, a first reply is sent by the Ombudsman to the complainant within ten working days after receipt of the complaint, also in cases which are eventually rejected. 41.4 per cent of rejected complaint cases were concluded within ten calendar days. The average processing time for rejected cases was 31 days in 2010. The average processing time for substantively investigated cases (other than inspection cases and cases in connection with OPCAT) concluded within the report year was 5.1 months (154.9 days). The case processing time of the office is fairly stable. For rejected cases, it has declined slightly from an average of 36.1 days in 2009 to 31.0 days in 2010, and for substantively investigated cases, it has declined slightly from an ­average of 163.6 days in 2009 to 154.9 days in 2010. (The figures for substantively investigated cases are not fully comparable as from 2010 the totals do not include inspection cases or cases in connection with OPCAT). 17