# The Criminal Procedure Rules 2025, Rule 47.20: Content of application for a disclosure order or information order under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Extent: E+W

(1) As well as complying with rules 47.6 and 47.17, an applicant who wants the court to make a disclosure order must—
(a) describe in general terms the information that the applicant wants a person to provide;
(b) confirm that none of the information is—
(i) expected to be subject to legal privilege, or
(ii) excluded material;
(c) explain why the information is likely to be of substantial value to the investigation;
(d) explain why it is in the public interest for the information to be provided, having regard to the benefit likely to accrue to the investigation if it is obtained; and
(e) propose the terms of the order.
(2) As well as complying with rule 47.6, an applicant who wants the court to make an information order must—
(a) identify the respondent from whom the information is sought and explain—
(i) whether the respondent is the person who made the disclosure to which the information relates or is otherwise carrying on a business in the regulated sector within the meaning of Part 1 of Schedule 9 to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and
(ii) why the applicant thinks that the information is in the possession, or under the control, of the respondent;
(b) specify or describe the information that the applicant wants the respondent to provide;
(c) where the information sought relates to a disclosure of information under Part 7 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Money laundering), explain—
(i) how the information sought relates to a matter arising from that disclosure,
(ii) how the information would assist in investigating whether a person is engaged in money laundering or in determining whether an investigation of that kind should be started, and
(iii) why it is reasonable in all the circumstances for the information to be provided;
(d) where the information sought relates to a disclosure made under a requirement of the law of a country outside the United Kingdom which corresponds with Part 7 of the 2002 Act, and an authority in that country which investigates money laundering has asked the National Crime Agency for information in connection with that disclosure, explain—
(i) how the information sought relates to a matter arising from that disclosure,
(ii) why the information is likely to be of substantial value to the authority that made the request in determining any matter in connection with the disclosure, and
(iii) why it is reasonable in all the circumstances for the information to be provided;
(e) where the information sought is to assist the National Crime Agency to conduct analysis for the purposes of the Agency’s criminal intelligence function so far as that relates to money laundering—
(i) explain how the information would assist the Agency to conduct that analysis,
(ii) demonstrate that the applicant has had regard to the code of practice under section 339ZL of the 2002 Act, and
(iii) explain why it is reasonable in all the circumstances for the information to be provided;
(f) where the information sought is to assist a financial intelligence unit in a country outside the United Kingdom to conduct analysis concerned with money laundering, following a request by that unit to the National Crime Agency—
(i) explain how the information is likely to be of substantial value to that financial intelligence unit in carrying out that analysis,
(ii) demonstrate that the applicant has had regard to the code of practice under section 339ZL of the 2002 Act, and
(iii) explain why it is reasonable in all the circumstances for the information to be provided; and
(g) propose the terms of the order, including—
(i) how the respondent must provide the information required, and
(ii) the date by which the information must be provided.
(3) Rule 47.8 (Application to vary or discharge an order) does not apply to an information order.
(4) Paragraph (5) applies where a party to an application for an information order wants to appeal to the Crown Court from the decision of the magistrates’ court.
(5) The appellant must—
(a) serve an appeal notice on the Crown Court officer and on the other party not more than 15 business days after the magistrates’ court’s decision; and
(b) in the appeal notice, explain, as appropriate, why the Crown Court should (as the case may be) make, discharge or vary an information order.
(6) Rule 34.11 (Constitution of the Crown Court) applies on such an appeal.
[Note. See sections 339ZH, 339ZJ, 339ZK, 339ZL, 357, 358 and 361 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002and articles 16, 17 and 20 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Investigations) Order 2014.
Where the 2002 Act applies, a Crown Court judge may make a disclosure order for the purposes of a confiscation investigation or a money laundering investigation.
The applicant for a disclosure order must be a ‘relevant authority’ as defined by section 357(7) of the 2002 Act, or an ‘appropriate officer’ as defined by article 2(1) of the 2014 Order where the Order applies. Under section 362(6) of the Act, a relevant authority who under section 357(7) is an ‘appropriate officer’ (as defined by section 378(1), (4) and (5)) may apply only if that person is, or is authorised to do so by, a ‘senior appropriate officer’ (as defined by section 378(2)).
Under section 339ZH(1), (12) of the 2002 Act the applicant for an information order must be the Director General of the National Crime Agency or an officer of that Agency authorised by the Director General for that purpose.
A disclosure order can require a lawyer to provide a client’s name and address.
Under sections 330, 331 and 332 in Part 7 of the 2002 Act a person engaged in a business in the regulated sector commits an offence where the conditions listed in any of those sections are met and that person does not disclose, in the manner required by the relevant section, knowledge or a suspicion that another person is engaged in money laundering.
Under section 339ZH(6A) and (6B) of the 2002 Act the analysis to assist in which information may be sought may be (i) operational analysis of information that is relevant to money laundering or suspected money laundering, or (ii) strategic analysis identifying trends or patterns in the conduct of money laundering, or systemic deficiencies or vulnerabilities which have been, are being or are likely to be, exploited for the purposes of money laundering. Section 1 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 confers functions on the National Crime Agency, including the ‘criminal intelligence function’ defined by section 1(5) of that Act.
Under section 339ZK of the 2002 Act an information order does not confer the right to require information which a person would be entitled to refuse to provide on grounds of legal professional privilege in proceedings in the High Court.]

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/909/rule/47.20 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-rules-2025/rule-47.20
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.