158 Disclosure of information between government departments etc.E+W+S
(1)No obligation as to secrecy imposed by statute or otherwise on [Revenue and Customs officials] shall prevent information obtained or held in connection with the assessment or collection of income tax from being disclosed—
(a)to the Secretary of State,
(b)to the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland, or
(c)to an officer of either of them authorised to receive such information, in connection with the operation of this Act (except Chapter II of Part VII and sections 157 and 161) or of any corresponding enactment of Northern Ireland legislation.
[(1A)No obligation as to secrecy imposed by statute or otherwise on [Revenue and Customs officials] shall prevent information obtained or held for the purposes of Part III of this Act from being disclosed—
(a)to the Secretary of State,
(b)to the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland, or
(c)to an officer of either of them authorised to receive such information,
in connection with the operation of this Act or of any corresponding enactment of Northern Ireland legislation.]
(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(4)In relation to persons who are carrying on or have carried on [wholly or partly in the United Kingdom] a trade, profession or vocation income from which is chargeable to tax under [Part 2 of the Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005 or] Case I or II of Schedule D, disclosure under subsection (1) relating to that trade, profession or vocation shall be limited to information about the commencement or cessation of, and employed earners engaged in, that trade, profession or vocation, but sufficient information may also be given to identify the persons concerned.
(5)[Subsections (1) and (1A)] extend only to disclosure by or under the authority of the Inland Revenue.
(6)... , information which is the subject of disclosure to any person by virtue of subsection (1) [or (1A)], ... shall not be further disclosed to any other person, except where the further disclosure is made—
(a)to a person to whom disclosure could by virtue of this section have been made by or under the authority of the Inland Revenue; or
(b)for the purposes of any civil or criminal proceedings in connection with the operation of this Act (except Chapter II of Part VII and sections 157 and 161); or
(c)for the purposes of [Chapter II of Part I of the Social Security Act 1998] or any corresponding provisions of Northern Ireland legislation; ... [or
(ca)for the purposes of Part II of the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 or any corresponding provisions of Northern Ireland legislation.]
(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[(9)In this section “Revenue and Customs officials” has the meaning given by section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (confidentiality).]
Textual Amendments
Commencement Information