Part VIIInformation

F1 Other government information

F2116B Supply of other government information for fraud prevention and verification.

(1)

This section applies to information which is held by, or by a person providing services to, a Minister of the Crown or a Northern Ireland department or other government department and which relates to—

(a)

passports, immigration and emigration, nationality or prisoners; or

(b)

any other matter which is prescribed.

(2)

Information to which this section applies may be supplied to, or to a person providing services to, the Department or the Secretary of State—

(a)

for use in the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of offences relating to social security; or

(b)

for use in checking the accuracy of information relating to benefits F3. . . or national insurance numbers or to any other matter relating to social security and (where appropriate) amending or supplementing such information.

(3)

Information supplied under subsection (2) above shall not be supplied by the recipient to any other person or body unless—

(a)

it could be supplied to that person or body under that subsection;

(b)

it is supplied for the purposes of any civil or criminal proceedings relating to the Contributions and Benefits Act, the M1Jobseekers (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 or this Act or to any enactment applying in Great Britain corresponding to any of them; or

(c)

it is supplied to the Housing Executive.

(4)

But where information supplied under subsection (2) above has been used (in accordance with paragraph (b) of that subsection) in amending or supplementing other information, it is lawful for it to be—

(a)

supplied to any person or body to whom that other information could be supplied; or

(b)

used for any purpose for which that other information could be used.

(5)

This section does not limit the circumstances in which information may be supplied apart from this section.