“Disclosure of information by or on behalf of public authorities49A.

(1)

This section applies if information relating to a particular body or other person is obtained by the Commission or an auditor, or by a person acting on behalf of the Commission or an auditor–

(a)

pursuant to a provision of this Act or of Part 1 of the Local Government Act 1999, or

(b)

in the course of an audit or study under this Act or under Part 1 of the Local Government Act 1999.

(2)

A person who is, or acts on behalf of a person who is, a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, may disclose any such information–

(a)

in the circumstances in which he would (but for section 49(1A)) be authorised to do so under section 49(1);

(b)

in accordance with section 41(4); or

(c)

in any other circumstances, except where such a disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the effective performance by such a person of a function imposed or conferred on the person by or under an enactment.

(3)

A person mentioned in subsection (2) who discloses any such information otherwise than as authorised by subsection (2) is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.”