Section 17B Assisting a designated body

(1)

F1A person commits an offence if the person—

(a)

engages in conduct of any kind, and

(b)

intends that conduct to materially assist a designated body in carrying out UK-related activities.

(2)

A person commits an offence if the person—

(a)

engages in conduct that is likely to materially assist a designated body in carrying out UK-related activities, and

(b)

knows, or having regard to other matters known to them ought reasonably to know, that their conduct is likely to materially assist a designated body in carrying out UK-related activities.

(3)

Conduct that may be likely to materially assist a designated body includes providing, or providing access to, information, goods, services or financial benefits (whether directly or indirectly).

(4)

“UK-related activities” means—

(a)

activities taking place in the United Kingdom;

(b)

activities taking place outside the United Kingdom which are prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.

(5)

Subsections (1) and (2) apply to conduct outside the United Kingdom, but apply to conduct taking place wholly outside the United Kingdom only if the person engaging in the conduct—

(a)

is a UK person, or

(b)

acts for or on behalf of, or holds office under, the Crown, or is in Crown employment (whether or not they engage in the conduct in that capacity).

(6)

In proceedings for an offence under this section it is a defence to show that the person engaged in the conduct in question—

(a)

in compliance with a legal obligation under the law of the United Kingdom which is not a legal obligation under private law,

(b)

in the case of a person having functions of a public nature under the law of the United Kingdom, for the purposes of those functions,

(c)

as a lawyer carrying on a legal activity,

(d)

in accordance with, or in relation to UK-related activities carried out in accordance with, an agreement or arrangement to which—

(i)

the United Kingdom was a party, or

(ii)

any person acting for or on behalf of, or holding office under, the Crown was (in that capacity) a party, or

(e)

for the purpose of carrying out humanitarian activities.

(7)

A person is taken to have shown a matter mentioned in subsection (6) if—

(a)

sufficient evidence of the matter is adduced to raise an issue with respect to it, and

(b)

the contrary is not proved beyond reasonable doubt.

(8)

For the purposes of subsection (6)(e), the reference to the carrying out of humanitarian activities does not include the carrying out of humanitarian activities in contravention of internationally recognised principles and standards applicable to the carrying out of humanitarian activities.

(9)

A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years or a fine (or both).

(10)

The following terms have the same meaning as in section 3—

“Crown employment”;
“financial benefit”;
the “law of the United Kingdom”;
“lawyer”;
“legal activity”;
“UK person”.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Ss. 17A-17C and cross-heading inserted (8.7.2026) by National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 (c. 24), ss. 2(2), 7(1)