26 Transfer of applications

(1) In this section—

agency includes a Minister.

(2) An agency to which an application has been made (the original agency) may transfer the application to another agency if—

(a) the document to which the application relates—

(i) is not held by the original agency but is, to the original agency's knowledge, held by the other agency; or

(ii) is held by the original agency but is more closely related to the functions of the other agency; and

(b) the other agency consents to the transfer.

(3) An agency that transfers an application to another agency must—

(a) if it holds the document to which the application relates—give a copy of the document (whether or not in the form of a written document) to the other agency with the application; and

(b) immediately give the applicant written notice of the transfer, specifying in the notice the day on which, and the agency to which, the application has been transferred.

(4) An agency is not required to include exempt matter in a notice.

(5) An application that is transferred from 1 agency to another is taken to have been received by the other agency—

(a) on the day on which it is transferred; or

(b) 14 days after the day on which it was received by the agency to which it was originally made;

whichever is the earlier.

(6) If—

(a) an application is made to an agency for access to more than 1 document; and

(b) 1 or more of the documents is a document to which subsection (2) applies;

this section applies to each of the documents as if separate applications had been made to the agency for each of the documents.

(7) If part of an application is transferred under this section and the transferred part of the application relates to a document that does not concern the applicant's personal affairs, a separate application fee is payable for the transferred part of the application.