Information sharing: supplementary powers (sections 47 to 54)
25.Section 47 allows the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with the consent of the Minister of the Crown responsible for the public authority from which the information will be obtained, to make regulations to allow information to be shared with the Board where this would normally not be allowed (either because of a barrier to sharing in existing law, or because such a public authority would not otherwise have the power to share information with the Board). Information shared under the regulations can only be used for statistical purposes, and cannot be disclosed by the Board other than in the limited circumstances set out in section 39 and where the regulations provide for further disclosure. Section 50 allows the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with the consent of the Minister of the Crown responsible for the public authority from which the information has been obtained, to make regulations to allow the Board to use information it has received where such use would otherwise be prohibited.
26.Under section 51, the Minister for the Cabinet Office may, with the consent of the Minister of the Crown responsible for the relevant public authority, make regulations to allow information to be shared by the Board with another public authority where this would normally not be allowed. Information shared under this provision can only be used for statistical purposes, and onward disclosure of the information is restricted under section 39.
27.Sections 48 and 52, and 49 and 53, duplicate sections 47 and 51for Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively. In these sections, the power to make regulations operates with the consent of the Minister for the Cabinet Office.
