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SCHEDULES

Section 12

SCHEDULE 7U.K.Information: restrictions on disclosure

Part 1 U.K.Statutory restrictions

1[F1(1)]This Part of this Act does not authorise or require—U.K.

(a)a disclosure, in contravention of any provisions of [F2the data protection legislation], of personal data which [F3is] not exempt from those provisions, or

(b)a disclosure which is prohibited by [F4any of Parts 1 to 7 or Chapter 1 of Part 9 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016].

[F5(2)In this paragraph, “the data protection legislation” has the same meaning as in the Data Protection Act 2018 (see section 3 of that Act).]

Textual Amendments

F1Sch. 7 para. 1(1): Sch. 7 para. 1 renumbered as Sch. 7 para. 1(1) (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 182(2) (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)

F2Words in Sch. 7 para. 1(1)(a) substituted (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 182(3)(a) (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)

F3Word in Sch. 7 para. 1(1)(a) substituted (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 182(3)(b) (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)

F4Words in Sch. 7 para. 1(b) substituted (27.6.2018) by Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (c. 25), s. 272(1), Sch. 10 para. 29 (with Sch. 9 paras. 7, 8, 10); S.I. 2018/652, reg. 12(g)(iii)

Commencement Information

I1Sch. 7 para. 1 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)

Part 2 U.K.Restrictions on disclosures of particular types of information

HMRC & customs informationU.K.

2(1)An NCA officer must not disclose—U.K.

(a)HMRC information,

(b)personal customs information, or

(c)personal customs revenue information,

unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.

(2)If an NCA officer has disclosed—

(a)HMRC information,

(b)personal customs information, or

(c)personal customs revenue information,

to a person, that person must not further disclose that information unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.

(3)In this paragraph—

Commencement Information

I2Sch. 7 para. 2 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)

Social security informationU.K.

3(1)An NCA officer must not disclose social security information unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.U.K.

(2)If an NCA officer has disclosed social security information to a person, that person must not further disclose that information unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.

(3)In this paragraph—

Commencement Information

I3Sch. 7 para. 3 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)

Intelligence service informationU.K.

4(1)An NCA officer must not disclose intelligence service information unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.U.K.

(2)If an NCA officer has disclosed intelligence service information to a person, that person must not further disclose that information unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.

(3)In this paragraph—

Commencement Information

I4Sch. 7 para. 4 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)

Arrangements for publishing informationU.K.

5U.K.The Director General must not disclose information if the disclosure would be in breach of a requirement that is imposed on the Director General by the framework document in accordance with section 6(2).

Commencement Information

I5Sch. 7 para. 5 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)

Part 3 U.K.Restrictions on further disclosures of information

Information generallyU.K.

6(1)If an NCA officer has disclosed information to a person (the “original recipient”), that person must not further disclose the information unless—U.K.

(a)the disclosure is—

(i)for a purpose connected with any relevant function of the original recipient, or

(ii)otherwise for a permitted purpose, and

(b)the Director General consents to the disclosure.

(2)This paragraph does not apply to a further disclosure of information if—

(a)paragraph 7 or 8 applies, or

(b)the NCA officer's disclosure to the original recipient was a disclosure—

(i)to the Lord Advocate for the purposes of the exercise of the functions of the Lord Advocate under Part 3 of PCA 2002, or

(ii)to the Scottish Ministers for the purposes of the exercise of the functions of the Scottish Ministers under, or in relation to, Part 5 of PCA 2002;

and for provision about the further disclosure of such information, see section 441 of PCA 2002.

(3)In this paragraph “relevant function” means any function of the original recipient for the purposes of which the information was disclosed to that recipient.

Commencement Information

I6Sch. 7 para. 6 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)

Information obtained under Part 6 of PCA 2002 & disclosed to CommissionersU.K.

7(1)This paragraph applies to information disclosed by an NCA officer under section 7(7) to the Commissioners.U.K.

(2)The information may be further disclosed by the Commissioners only if the disclosure is—

(a)for a purpose connected with any relevant function of the Commissioners, or

(b)otherwise for a permitted purpose.

(3)The information may be further disclosed by a person other than the Commissioners only if—

(a)the disclosure is—

(i)for a purpose connected with any relevant function of the Commissioners, or

(ii)otherwise for a permitted purpose, and

(b)the Director General consents to the disclosure.

(4)In this paragraph “relevant function” means any function of the Commissioners for the purposes of which the information was disclosed.

Commencement Information

I7Sch. 7 para. 7 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)

Information obtained under Part 6 of PCA 2002 & disclosed to Lord AdvocateU.K.

8U.K.Information disclosed by an NCA officer under section 7(7) to the Lord Advocate may be further disclosed only if the disclosure is—

(a)by the Lord Advocate to the Scottish Ministers, and

(b)for the purpose of the exercise by the Scottish Ministers of their functions under Part 5 of PCA 2002.

Commencement Information

I8Sch. 7 para. 8 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)

Part 4 U.K.Published information: no restrictions on further disclosure

9(1)This paragraph applies where an NCA officer discloses information, in accordance with this Part of this Act, by—U.K.

(a)the inclusion of the information in an annual plan, framework document or annual report, or

(b)the publication of the information in accordance with arrangements made under section 6.

(2)None of the relevant restrictions applies to the further disclosure of that information by any person.

(3)In this paragraph “relevant restriction” means any provision of this Part of this Act (however expressed) which prohibits or otherwise restricts the further disclosure of information disclosed by an NCA officer (including a provision which limits the purposes for which such information may be further disclosed or which requires a person's consent to be obtained before the further disclosure).

Commencement Information

I9Sch. 7 para. 9 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)

Part 5 U.K.Offences relating to wrongful disclosure of information

10(1)An NCA officer commits an offence if—U.K.

(a)the NCA officer discloses information, and

(b)that disclosure breaches the duty under—

(i)paragraph 2(1) (disclosure of HMRC information, personal customs information or personal revenue customs information), or

(ii)paragraph 3(1) (disclosure of social security information).

(2)A person commits an offence if—

(a)the person further discloses information, and

(b)that further disclosure breaches the duty under—

(i)paragraph 2(2) (further disclosure of HMRC information, personal customs information or personal revenue customs information), or

(ii)paragraph 3(2) (further disclosure of social security information).

(3)It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this paragraph to prove that the person reasonably believed—

(a)that the disclosure was lawful, or

(b)that the information disclosed had already and lawfully been made available to the public.

(4)A prosecution for an offence under this paragraph—

(a)may be brought in England and Wales only with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions;

(b)may be brought in Northern Ireland only with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.

(5)This paragraph is without prejudice to the pursuit of any remedy or the taking of any action in relation to a breach of a relevant duty.

(6)A person guilty of an offence under this paragraph is liable on conviction on indictment to either or both of the following—

(a)imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years;

(b)a fine.

(7)A person guilty of an offence under this paragraph is liable on summary conviction to either or both of the following—

(a)imprisonment for a term not exceeding—

(i)[F6the general limit in a magistrates’ court] on conviction in England and Wales;

(ii)12 months on conviction in Scotland;

(iii)6 months on conviction in Northern Ireland;

(b)a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.

(8)In relation to an offence committed before [F72 May 2022], the reference in sub-paragraph (7)(a)(i) to the period of [F8the general limit in a magistrates’ court] is to be read as a reference to the period of 6 months.

Part 6 U.K.General

ConsentsU.K.

11U.K.A consent to disclosure of information under any provision of this Schedule may be given in relation to—

(a)a particular disclosure, or

(b)disclosures made in circumstances specified or described in the consent.

Commencement Information

I11Sch. 7 para. 11 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)

InterpretationU.K.

12U.K.In this Schedule—

Commencement Information

I12Sch. 7 para. 12 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)