Water Industry Act 1991

Duty of persons exercising rights to maintain confidentiality E+W

5 (1) Without prejudice to section 206 of this Act and subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) below, any person who is admitted to any premises in compliance— E+W

(a) with any provision of this Act relating to a right of entry to which this Part of this Schedule applies; or

(b) with a warrant under this Part of this Schedule,

shall be guilty of an offence under this paragraph if he discloses to any person any information obtained by him there with regard to any manufacturing process or trade secret.

(2) A person shall not be guilty of an offence under this paragraph in respect of any disclosure made in the performance of his duty.

(3) For the purposes of the application of this Part of this Schedule to the right conferred by section 171 of this Act, the reference to premises in subsection (1) above shall have effect as a reference only to business premises, within the meaning of paragraph 1 above.

(4) A person who is guilty of an offence under this paragraph, other than such a person as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (5) below, shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to a fine or to both.

(5) A person who is guilty of an offence under this paragraph by virtue of the application of this Part of this Schedule to the rights conferred by section 171 of this Act shall be liable, on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale or to both.