OpenLegislation

Section 438 Disclosure of information by certain authoritiesF24F25I1I2

United Kingdom

(1)

Information obtained by or on behalf of F1a relevant authority in connection with the exercise of any of F2the authority's functions F3under, or in relation to, Part 5 or 8 may be disclosed by F4the authority if the disclosure is for the purposes of any of the following—

(a)

any criminal investigation which is being or may be carried out, whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere;

(b)

any criminal proceedings which have been or may be started, whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere;

(c)

the exercise of the F5authority's functions F6under, or in relation to, Part 5 or 8;

(d)

the exercise by the prosecutor of functions under Parts 2, 3 and 4;

(e)

the exercise by the Scottish Ministers of their functions under Part 5 F7or 8;

(f)

the exercise by a customs officer F8, an accredited financial investigator F9, a constable or an SFO officer of his functions under Chapter 3 F10, 3A F11, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E or 3F of Part 5;

F12(fa)

the exercise of any functions of F13the National Crime Agency F14or another F15relevant authority under, or in relation to, Part 5 or 8;

(g)

safeguarding national security;

(h)

investigations or proceedings outside the United Kingdom which have led or may lead to the making of an external order within the meaning of section 447;

(i)

the exercise of a designated function.

F16(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5)

If F17a relevant authority makes a disclosure of information for a purpose specified in subsection (1) F18the authority may make any further disclosure of the information by the person to whom the authority discloses it subject to such conditions as the authority thinks fit.

(6)

Such a person must not further disclose the information in contravention of the conditions.

(7)

A disclosure under this section is not to be taken to breach any restriction on the disclosure of information (however imposed).

(8)

But nothing in this section authorises the making of a disclosure—

(a)

which contravenes F19the data protection legislation;

(b)

which is prohibited by F20any of Parts 1 to 7 or Chapter 1 of Part 9 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

F21(8A)

This section does not affect a power to disclose which exists apart from this section.

(8B)

This section applies to information obtained before the coming into force of subsection (10) as well as to information obtained after the coming into force of that subsection.

(9)

A designated function is a function which the Secretary of State thinks is a function of a public nature and which he designates by order.

F22(10)

In this section F23“relevant authority” has the same meaning as in section 435.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1

Words in s. 438(1) substituted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(3)(a)(i) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F2

Words in s. 438(1) substituted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(3)(a)(ii) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F3

Words in s. 438(1) inserted (1.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 134(3)(a); S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a) (with arts. 3-14)

F4

Words in s. 438(1) substituted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(3)(a)(iii) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F5

Word in s. 438(1)(c) substituted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(3)(b) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F6

Words in s. 438(1)(c) inserted (1.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 134(3)(b); S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a) (with arts. 3-14)

F7

Words in s. 438(1)(e) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(3)(c) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F8

Words in s. 438(1)(f) inserted (6.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 11 para. 14; S.I. 2008/755, art. 17(1)(f)

F9

Words in s. 438(1)(f) substituted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(3)(d)(i) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F10

Words in s. 438(1)(f) inserted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(3)(d)(ii) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F11

Words in s. 438(1)(f) substituted (26.10.2023 for specified purposes, 26.4.2024 for S. for specified purposes, 26.4.2024 for E.W.N.I. in so far as not already in force, 7.11.2024 for S. in so far as not already in force) by Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (c. 56), s. 219(1)(2)(b), Sch. 9 para. 9; S.I. 2024/269, reg. 4(b)(i)(ii); S.I. 2024/1108, reg. 2

F12

S. 438(1)(fa) inserted (1.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 134(3)(c); S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a) (with arts. 3-14)

F13

Words in s. 438(1)(fa) substituted (7.10.2013) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(2), Sch. 8 para. 146; S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(v)

F14

Words in s. 438(1)(fa) substituted (27.3.2014) by The Public Bodies (Merger of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Director of Revenue and Customs Prosecutions) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/834), art. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 29

F15

Words in s. 438(1)(fa) substituted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(3)(e) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F16

S. 438(2)-(4) repealed (1.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 134(4), Sch. 14; S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a)(d) (with arts. 3-14)

F17

Words in s. 438(5) substituted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(4)(a) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F18

Words in s. 438(5) substituted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(4)(b) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F19

Words in s. 438(8)(a) substituted (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 82 (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)

F20

Words in s. 438(8)(b) substituted (27.6.2018) by Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (c. 25), s. 272(1), Sch. 10 para. 12(3) (with Sch. 9 paras. 7, 8, 10); S.I. 2018/652, reg. 12(g)(iii)

F21

S. 438(8A)(8B) inserted (1.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 134(5); S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a) (with arts. 3-14)

F22

S. 438(10) inserted (1.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 134(6); S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a) (with arts. 3-14)

F23

Words in s. 438(10) substituted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(5) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

F24

Words in s. 438 heading substituted (1.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 134(2); S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a) (with arts. 3-14)

F25

Word in s. 438 heading substituted (27.4.2017 for specified purposes, 31.1.2018 for E.W.S. in so far as not already in force, 28.6.2021 for N.I. in so far as not already in force) by Criminal Finances Act 2017 (c. 22), s. 58(5)(6), Sch. 5 para. 80(2) (with Sch. 5 para. 80(6)); S.I. 2018/78, reg. 5(1)(e); S.I. 2021/724, reg. 4(i)

Commencement

I1

S. 438 in force at 24.2.2003 for specified purposes by S.I. 2003/120, art. 2, Sch. (with arts. 3, 4) (as amended (20.2.2003) by S.I. 2003/333, art. 14)

I2

S. 438 in force at 24.3.2003 in so far as not already in force by S.I. 2003/333, art. 2, Sch.