26. (1) A public service body or an agent of that body, where the information concerned is held by that agent, shall at the request of a Minister of the Government provide information referred to in subsection (2) to—

(a) the Minister, for the purposes of—

(i) the performance of a function of the Minister under the Act of 2012,

(ii) the performance of a function conferred on or transferred to the Minister under section 8(3), 9(1)(a), 10 or 17 of the Act of 2011,

(iii) the performance of a function of the Minister under an enactment relating to a pre-existing public service pension scheme, or

(iv) the administration of a pre-existing public service pension scheme,

or

(b) the Minister of the Government making the request (where that Minister of the Government is not the Minister) or another public service body, for the purposes of—

(i) the performance of a function of that Minister or public service body under an enactment relating to a pre-existing public service pension scheme, or

(ii) the administration of a pre-existing public service pension scheme.

(2) The information to be provided under subsection (1) is the following information in respect of a pre-existing public service pension scheme:

(a) pension scheme membership information in respect of—

(i) a scheme member,

(ii) a former scheme member,

(iii) a pensioner,

(iv) a person who was, but is no longer, a pensioner,

(v) a pension scheme beneficiary, or

(vi) a person whose eligibility under a public service pension scheme is in the process of being determined;

(b) information relating to—

(i) a statutory pensions appeal of a decision made in relation to an entitlement under the scheme,

(ii) an adjustment to the number of years of service of a person for the purposes of the calculation of an entitlement under the scheme,

(iii) the operation of the transfer network, or

(iv) the administration of a pension adjustment order, whether made or in respect of which an application has been or is proposed to be made, applying to an entitlement under the scheme;

(c) such additional information as may be prescribed.

(3) The Minister shall, when prescribing additional information under subsection (2)(c), have regard to whether the provision of such information to the Minister, another Minister of the Government or a public service body would—

(a) reduce the duplication of tasks by public service bodies or their agents,

(b) increase the efficiency of public service bodies in carrying out their functions,

(c) improve the quality of services provided by a public service body to a scheme member, former scheme member, pensioner or pension scheme beneficiary,

(d) improve the quality of information created, held and maintained by public service bodies,

(e) strengthen the accountability of public service bodies in relation to the operation of pre-existing public service pension schemes, or

(f) improve the quality of analysis and decision-making in relation to pre-existing public service pension schemes.