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 (5) Where a request is transferred to an agency in accordance with this section, it shall be deemed to be a request made to that agency and received at the time at which it was originally received.

(6) In this section, "agency" includes a Minister.

Requests involving use of computers, &c.

17. (1) Where—


 * (a) a request (including a request of the kind described in sub-section 24 (1)) is made in writing and in accordance with the requirements of subsection 15 (2) to an agency;


 * (b) it appears from the request that the desire of the applicant is for information that is not available in discrete form in documents of the agency; and


 * (c) the agency could produce a written document containing the information in discrete form by—


 * (i) the use of a computer or other equipment that is ordinarily available to the agency for retrieving or collating stored information; or


 * (ii) the making of a transcript from a sound recording held in the agency,

the agency shall deal with the request as if it were a request for access to a written document so produced and containing that information and, for that purpose, this Act applies as if the agency had such a document in its possession.

(2) An agency is not required to comply with sub-section (1) if compliance would substantially and unreasonably divert the resources of the agency from its other operations.

Access to documents to be given on request

18. (1) Subject to this Act, where—


 * (a) a request is made in writing and in accordance with the requirements of sub-section 15 (2) by a person to an agency or Minister for access to a document of the agency or an official document of the Minister; and


 * (b) any charge that, under the regulations, is required to be paid before access is granted has been paid,

the person shall be given access to the document in accordance with this Act.

(2) An agency or Minister is not required by this Act to give access to a document at a time when the document is an exempt document.

Time within which formal requests to be decided

19. (1) If a request for access to a document that is made to an agency or Minister—


 * (a) is made in writing and is expressed to be made in pursuance of this Act;