{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989.json",
  "id": "ukpga/1989/6",
  "title": "Official Secrets Act 1989",
  "long_title": "An Act to replace section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 by provisions protecting more limited classes of official information.",
  "citation": "1989 c. 6",
  "type": "ukpga",
  "year": "1989",
  "number": "6",
  "version": "current",
  "date": "1989-05-11",
  "revised": true,
  "valid_from": "2023-12-20",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "unapplied_effects": 1,
  "provisions": [
    {
      "path": "introduction",
      "kind": "introduction",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Introductory text",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/introduction",
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/1",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "1",
      "heading": "Security and intelligence.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-1",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/2",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "2",
      "heading": "Defence.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-2",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/3",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "3",
      "heading": "International relations.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-3",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/4",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "4",
      "heading": "Crime and special investigation powers.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-4",
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/5",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "5",
      "heading": "Information resulting from unauthorised disclosures or entrusted in confidence.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-5",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/6",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "6",
      "heading": "Information entrusted in confidence to other States or international organisations.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-6",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/7",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "7",
      "heading": "Authorised disclosures.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-7",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/8",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "8",
      "heading": "Safeguarding of information.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-8",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/9",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "9",
      "heading": "Prosecutions.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-9",
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/10",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "10",
      "heading": "Penalties.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-10",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/11",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "11",
      "heading": "Arrest, search and trial.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-11",
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/12",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "12",
      "heading": "“Crown servant” and “government contractor”.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-12",
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/13",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "13",
      "heading": "Other interpretation provisions.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-13",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/14",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "14",
      "heading": "Orders.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-14",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/15",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "15",
      "heading": "Acts done abroad and extent.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-15",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/16",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "16",
      "heading": "Short title, citation, consequential amendments, repeals, revocation and commencement.",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/section-16",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/1",
      "kind": "schedule",
      "number": "1",
      "heading": "Consequential Amendments",
      "url": null,
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/1/paragraph/1",
      "kind": "paragraph",
      "number": "1",
      "heading": null,
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/schedule-1/paragraph-1",
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": null,
      "parent": "schedule/1"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/1/paragraph/2",
      "kind": "paragraph",
      "number": "2",
      "heading": null,
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/schedule-1/paragraph-2",
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": null,
      "parent": "schedule/1"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/1/paragraph/3",
      "kind": "paragraph",
      "number": "3",
      "heading": null,
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/schedule-1/paragraph-3",
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": "repealed",
      "parent": "schedule/1"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/1/paragraph/4",
      "kind": "paragraph",
      "number": "4",
      "heading": null,
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/schedule-1/paragraph-4",
      "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
      "status": null,
      "parent": "schedule/1"
    },
    {
      "path": "schedule/2",
      "kind": "schedule",
      "number": "2",
      "heading": "Repeals and Revocation",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/official-secrets-act-1989/schedule-2",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affected_provisions": "s. 10(2)",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2003/44",
      "affecting_title": "Criminal Justice Act 2003",
      "affecting_provisions": "Sch. 26 para. 39"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/6",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:47:15.985341+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}