5.—(1) The Secretary of State or the Commissioners may give any information that they could give to the trustees of an occupational pension scheme, under section 156(1) of the 1993 Act(1) (information for purposes of contracting-out), to the following persons—
(a)an earner, or widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an earner, to whom the information relates;
(b)the employer in relation to the contracted-out employment of an earner to whom the information relates;
(c)any independent trade union recognised in relation to earners who are members of a scheme that was a salary related contracted-out scheme; and
(d)any person who is or who, in the opinion of the Commissioners, is likely to become, responsible for paying guaranteed minimum pensions, or pensions in respect of section 9(2B) rights, in accordance with the pension scheme.
(2) Paragraph (1)(c) is subject to the condition that the information to be given is either—
(a)as to—
(i)the total amount of the guaranteed minimum pensions to which it appears to the Commissioners that all persons entitled under the scheme (whether immediately or prospectively) are so entitled; or
(ii)whether the scheme is liable in respect of any section 9(2B) rights; or
(b)given with the consent of the earner, widow, widower or surviving civil partner to whom it relates, such consent being given in writing, or by means of an electronic communication in such form as the Commissioners may approve.
(3) For the purposes of this regulation, “independent trade union” means an independent trade union which is recognised to any extent for the purpose of collective bargaining.
Section 156 was substituted by section 56 of, and paragraph 9 of Schedule 5 to, the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (c.19), and amended by S.I. 2011/1730.