(1)Information obtained by a Commissioner or his officers in the course of or for the purposes of an investigation shall not be disclosed except—
(a)for the purposes of the investigation and any report to be made in respect of it,
(b)for the purposes of any proceedings for—
(i)an offence under the Official Secrets Acts 1911 to 1989 alleged to have been committed in respect of information obtained by virtue of this Act by a Commissioner or any of his officers, or
(ii)an offence of perjury alleged to have been committed in the course of the investigation,
(c)for the purposes of an inquiry with a view to the taking of such proceedings as are mentioned in paragraph (b), F1. . .
(d)for the purposes of any proceedings under section 13 (offences of obstruction and contempt) [F2or
(e)[F3where the information is to the effect that any person is likely to constitute a threat to the health or safety of patients]as permitted by subsection (1B).]
[F4[F5(1A)Subsection (1B) applies where, in the course of an investigation, a Commissioner or any of his officers obtains information which—
(a)does not fall to be disclosed for the purposes of the investigation or any report to be made in respect of it, and
(b)is to the effect that a person is likely to constitute a threat to the health or safety of patients.]
(1B)In [F6a case within subsection (1)(e)] the Commissioner may disclose the information to any persons to whom he thinks it should be disclosed in the interests of the health and safety of patients [F7; and a person to whom disclosure may be made may, for instance, be a body which regulates the profession to which the person mentioned in subsection (1A)(b) belongs or his employer or any person with whom he has made arrangements to provide services.]
(1C)If a Commissioner discloses information as permitted by subsection (1B) he shall—
[F8(a)where he knows the identity of the person mentioned in subsection (1)(e), inform that person that he has disclosed the information and of the identity of any person to whom he has disclosed it, and
(b)inform the person from whom the information was obtained that he has disclosed it.]]
(2)Neither a Commissioner nor his officers [F9nor his advisers] shall be called on to give evidence in any proceedings, other than proceedings mentioned in subsection (1), of matters coming to his or their knowledge in the course of an investigation under this Act.
[F10(3)The reference in subsection (2) to a Commissioner’s advisers is a reference to persons from whom the Commissioner obtains advice under paragraph 13 of Schedule 1 [F11or paragraph 6(6) of Schedule 1A].]
[F12(4)Information obtained from the Information Commissioner by virtue of section 76 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 shall be treated for the purposes of subsection (1) as obtained for the purposes of an investigation and, in relation to such information, the reference in paragraph (a) of that subsection to the investigation shall have effect as a reference to any investigation.]
Textual Amendments
F1Word in s. 15(1)(c) repealed (1.4.1996) by 1996 c. 5, ss. 11(2), 13, Sch. 2; S.I. 1996/970, art. 2(1)
F2S. 15(1)(e) and preceding word “or” inserted (1.4.1996) by 1996 c. 5, s. 11(2); S.I. 1996/970, art. 2(1)
F3Words in s. 15(1)(e) inserted (1.10.1999 for E.W., 1.3.2000 for S.) by 1999 c. 8, s. 43(2); S.S.I. 2000/38, art. 2
F4S. 15(1A)-(1C) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1996 c. 5, s. 11(3); S.I. 1996/970, art. 2(1)
F5S. 15(1A) repealed (1.10.1999 for E.W., 1.3.2000 for S.) by 1999 c. 8, ss. 43(3), 65, Sch. 5; S.I. 1999/2540, art. 2(1)(b); S.S.I. 2000/38, art. 2
F6Words in s. 15(1B) substituted (1.10.1999 for E.W., 1.3.2000 for S. otherwiseprosp.) by 1999 c. 8, s. 43(4)(a); S.I. 1999/2540, art. 2(1)(b); S.S.I. 2000/38, art. 2
F7Words in s. 15(1B) repealed (1.10.1999 for E.W., 1.3.2000 for S. otherwiseprosp.) by 1999 c. 8, ss. 43(4)(b), 65, Sch. 5; S.I. 1999/2540, art. 2(1)(b); S.S.I. 2000/38, art. 2
F8S. 15(1C)(a)(b) substituted (1.10.1999 for E.W., 1.3.2000 for S. otherwiseprosp.) by 1999 c. 8, s. 43(5); S.I. 1999/2540, art. 2(1)(b); S.S.I. 2000/38, art. 2
F9Words in s. 15(2) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1996 c. 5, s. 11(4); S.I. 1996/970, art. 2(1)
F10S. 15(3) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1996 c. 5, s. 11(5); S.I. 1996/970, art. 2(1)
F11Words in s. 15(3) inserted (1.7.1999) by 1998 c. 38, s. 112, Sch. 10 para. 12 (with ss. 139(2), 143(2)); S.I. 1999/1290, art. 4
F12S. 15(4) inserted (30.1.2001) by 2000 c. 36, ss. 76(2), 87(2)(b), Sch. 7 para. 5 (with ss. 56, 78)