Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006

Duty of Commission to verify donation reports and not to disclose their contents

1 After section 71C of the 2000 Act (as inserted by section 12) insert—

“71D Duty to verify donation reports

(1) The Commission must take such steps as are prescribed for the purpose of verifying the information given in Northern Ireland reports.

(2) “Northern Ireland report” means a report to the Commission which—

(a) is prepared by a Northern Ireland recipient, and

(b) contains, or purports to contain, information required to be given by Schedule 6 or 7.

71E Duty not to disclose contents of donation reports

(1) A person who is or has been a member or employee of the Commission must not disclose any information which—

(a) relates to a donation received by a Northern Ireland recipient, and

(b) has been obtained by the Commission in the exercise of their functions under this Part,

except in the following cases.

(2) Such information may be disclosed, for the purpose of verifying information given in a Northern Ireland report,—

(a) to a member or employee of the Commission, or

(b) to such bodies as may be prescribed.

(3) Such information may be disclosed for the purposes of any criminal or civil proceedings.

(4) Such information may be disclosed in accordance with any prescribed requirements if it relates to a donation which the Commission believe, on reasonable grounds, was a donation required to be dealt with in accordance with section 56(2) (donations from impermissible and unidentifiable donors).

(5) A person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence.”