Cap. 496 чл. 10Decisions on and replies to requests.

Subject to this Act, the public authority to which a request is made in accordance with article 6 or is transferred in accordance with article 8 shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case not later than twenty working days after the day on which the request is received by the authority -

(a) decide whether the request is to be granted and, if it is to be granted, in what manner and for what charge (if any); and time limit set out in article 10 by up to forty working days in respect of the request if -

(a) the request is for a large number of documents or necessitates a search through a large number of documents, and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the public authority; or

(b) consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.

(2) Any extension under subarticle (1) shall be for a reasonable period of time having regard to the circumstances.

(3) The extension shall be effected by giving notice to the person who made the request within twenty working days after the day on which the request is received, and the notice shall -

(a) specify the period of the extension;

(b) give the reasons for the extension;

(c) state that the applicant has the right under article 23 to make a complaint to the Commissioner about the extension; and

(d) contain such other information as is necessary.