Audit Commission Act 1998 (repealed)

49 Restriction on disclosure of information. E+W

(1) No information relating to a particular body or other person and obtained by the Commission or an auditor, or by a person acting on behalf of the Commission or an auditor, pursuant to any provision of this Act [F1 or of Part I of the Local Government Act 1999] or in the course of any audit or study under any such provision shall be disclosed except—

(a) with the consent of the body or person to whom the information relates;

(b) for the purposes of any functions of the Commission or an auditor under this Act [F2 or under Part I of the 1999 Act];

[F3 (ba) to the Commission for Social Care Inspection for the purposes of its functions under Chapter 5 of Part 2 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003;

(bb) to the National Assembly for Wales for the purposes of its functions under Chapter 4 of that Part of that Act;]

(c) in the case of a health service body, for those purposes or for the purposes of the functions of the Secretary of State and the Comptroller and Auditor General under the M1 National Health Service Act 1977 [F4 or for the purposes of the functions of the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection under Chapter 3 of Part 2 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003] ;

(d) for the purposes of the functions of the Secretary of State relating to social security;

[F5 (dd) to the Mayor of London, where the information relates to the Greater London Authority or a functional body;]

[F6 (dd) for the purposes of the functions of an ethical standards officer or a Local Commissioner in Wales under Part III of the Local Government Act 2000]

(e) in accordance with section 37(6) or 41(4); or

(f) for the purposes of any criminal proceedings.

(2) References in subsection (1) to studies and to functions of the Commission do not include studies or functions under section 36.

(3) A person who discloses information in contravention of subsection (1) is guilty of an offence and liable—

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

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

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 49(1) inserted (27.9.1999 subject to art. 3(2)(b) of S.I. 1999/2169 and otherwise 1.10.1999) by 1999 c. 27, art. 22(5)(a); S.I. 1999/2169, art. 3(2), Sch. 2; S.I. 1999/2815, art. 2

F2 Words in s. 49(1)(b) inserted (27.9.1999 subject to art. 3(2)(b) S.I. 1999/2169 and otherwise 1.10.1999) by 1999 c. 27, art. 22(5)(b); S.I. 1999/2169, art. 3(2), Sch. 2; S.I. 1999/2815, art. 2

F3 S. 49(1)(ba)(bb) inserted (1.4.2004) by Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 (c. 43), s. 199(1)(4), Sch. 9 para. 12(10)(a); S.I. 2004/759, art. 9

F4 Words in s. 49(1)(c) inserted (1.4.2004) by Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 (c. 43), s. 199(1)(4), Sch. 9 para. 12(10)(b); S.I. 2004/759, art. 9

F5 S. 49(1)(dd) inserted (8.5.2000 for specified purposes and otherwise 3.7.2000) by 1999 c. 29, s. 133(2), Sch. 8 para. 11 (with Sch. 12 para. 9(1)); S.I. 1999/3434, arts. 3, 4

F6 S. 49(1)(dd) inserted after s. 49(1)(d) (19.12.2000 (E.) and for specified purposes (W.) and otherwise 28.7.2001) by 2000 c. 22, ss. 107, 108(4)-(6), Sch. 5 para. 30; S.I. 2000/3335, art. 2

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 49(1): disclosure powers extended (14.12.2001) by 2001 c. 24, ss. 17, 127(2), Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 41

Marginal Citations

M1 1977 c. 49.