Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

20 [F1 Power to supply information etc to Secretary of State] U.K.

(1) This section applies to information held by—

[F2 (a) a public authority, or

(b) any specified person, for purposes specified in relation to that person.]

[F3 (1A) This section also applies to a document or article which—

(a) comes into the possession of [F4 a public authority or someone acting on behalf of a public authority] , or

(b) is discovered by [F5 a public authority or someone acting on behalf of a public authority] .]

[F6 (1B) This section does not apply to—

(a) information which is held by the Crown Prosecution Service, or

(b) a document or article which comes into the possession of, or is discovered by, the Crown Prosecution Service, or someone acting on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service,

if section 40 of the UK Borders Act 2007 applies to the information, document or article.]

(2) The information [F7 , document or article] may be supplied to the Secretary of State for use for immigration purposes.

[F8 (2A) The Secretary of State may—

(a) retain for immigration purposes a document or article supplied to him under subsection (2), and

(b) dispose of a document or article supplied to him under subsection (2) in such manner as he thinks appropriate (and the reference to use in subsection (2) includes a reference to disposal).]

[F9 (2B) Subsection (2A)(a) does not affect any other power of the Secretary of State to retain a document or article.]

(3) “Immigration purposes” means any of the following—

(a) the administration of immigration control under the Immigration Acts;

(b) the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences under those Acts;

(c) the imposition of penalties or charges under Part II;

(d) the provision of support for asylum-seekers and their dependants under Part VI;

[F10 (da) anything else that is done in connection with the exercise of a function under any of the Immigration Acts;]

(e) such other purposes as may be specified.

[F11 (3A) Public authority” means a person with functions of a public nature but does not include—

(a) Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs,

(b) either House of Parliament or a person exercising functions in connection with proceedings in Parliament,

(c) the Scottish Parliament or a person exercising functions in connection with proceedings in the Scottish Parliament,

(d) the National Assembly for Wales or a person exercising functions in connection with proceedings in that Assembly, or

(e) the Northern Ireland Assembly or a person exercising functions in connection with proceedings in that Assembly.]

F12 (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5) “Specified” means specified in an order made by the Secretary of State.

(6) This section does not limit the circumstances in which information [F13 , documents or articles] may be supplied apart from this section.

[F14 (7) Nothing in this section authorises information, a document or an article to be supplied if to do so would contravene a restriction on the disclosure of information (however imposed).]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 20 heading substituted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 55(2), 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(h)

F2 S. 20(1)(a)(b) substituted for s. 20(1)(a)-(f) (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 55(3), 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(h)

F3 S. 20(1A) inserted (10.2.2003) by Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41), ss. 132(2), 162(1) (with s. 159); S.I. 2003/1, art. 2, Sch.

F4 Words in s. 20(1A)(a) substituted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 55(4), 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(h)

F5 Words in s. 20(1A)(b) substituted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 55(4), 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(h)

F6 S. 20(1B) inserted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 55(5), 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(h)

F7 Words in s. 20(2) inserted (10.2.2003) by Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41), ss. 132(3), 162(1) (with s. 159); S.I. 2003/1, art. 2, Sch.

F8 S. 20(2A) inserted (10.2.2003) by Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41), ss. 132(4), 162(1) (with s. 159); S.I. 2003/1, art. 2, Sch.

F9 S. 20(2B) inserted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 55(6), 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(h)

F10 S. 20(3)(da) inserted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 55(7), 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(h)

F11 S. 20(3A) inserted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 55(8), 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(h)

F12 S. 20(4) omitted (12.7.2016) by virtue of Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 55(9), 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(h)

F13 Words in s. 20(6) inserted (10.2.2003) by Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41), ss. 132(5), 162(1) (with s. 159); S.I. 2003/1, art. 2, Sch.

F14 S. 20(7) inserted (12.7.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), ss. 55(10), 94(1); S.I. 2016/603, reg. 3(h)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 20 modified (10.2.2003) by Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41), ss. 131, 162(1) (with s. 159); S.I. 2003/1, art. 2, Sch.

C2 S. 20 restricted (7.4.2005) by Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (c. 11), s. 53(1), Sch. 2 para. 17 (with s. 22); S.I. 2005/1126, art. 2(1)