Financial Services and Markets Act 2000

351 Competition information

(1) A person is guilty of an offence if he has competition information (whether or not it was obtained by him) and improperly discloses it—

(a) if it relates to the affairs of an individual, during that individual’s lifetime;

(b) if it relates to any particular business of a body, while that business continues to be carried on.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) a disclosure is improper unless it is made—

(a) with the consent of the person from whom it was obtained and, if different—

(i) the individual to whose affairs the information relates, or

(ii) the person for the time being carrying on the business to which the information relates;

(b) to facilitate the performance by a person mentioned in the first column of the table set out in Part I of Schedule 19 of a function mentioned in the second column of that table;

(c) in pursuance of a Community obligation;

(d) for the purpose of criminal proceedings in any part of the United Kingdom;

(e) in connection with the investigation of any criminal offence triable in the United Kingdom or any part of the United Kingdom;

(f) with a view to the institution of, or otherwise for the purposes of, civil proceedings brought under or in connection with—

(i) a competition provision; or

(ii) a specified enactment.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

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

(4) Section 348 does not apply to competition information.

(5) “Competition information” means information which—

(a) relates to the affairs of a particular individual or body;

(b) is not otherwise in the public domain; and

(c) was obtained under or by virtue of a competition provision.

(6) “Competition provision” means any provision of—

(a) an order made under section 95;

(b) Chapter III of Part X; or

(c) Chapter II of Part XVIII.

(7) “Specified enactment” means an enactment specified in Part II of Schedule 19.