Freedom of Information Act 1991

If, in the opinion of an agency, the cost of dealing with an application is likely to exceed the application fee, the agency may request the applicant to pay to it such reasonable amount, by way of advance deposit, as the agency may determine.

If, in the opinion of an agency, the cost of dealing with an application is likely to exceed the sum of the application fee and of any advance deposits paid in respect of the application, the agency may request the applicant to pay to it such reasonable amount, by way of further advance deposit, as the agency may determine.

The aggregate of the application fee and the advance deposit or deposits requested under this section may not exceed the agency's estimate of the cost of dealing with the application.

A request for an advance deposit must be accompanied by a notice that sets out the basis on which the amount of the deposit has been calculated.

The amount of an advance deposit requested by an agency in respect of an application must be paid to the agency within such period as the agency specifies in the request.

The period between the making of a request under this section and the payment of an advance deposit in accordance with the request is not to be taken into account in calculating the period within which the relevant application is to be dealt with.