Section 122D Supply of information by authorities administering benefitF1F2C1C2C3

The Secretary of State or the Northern Ireland Department may require—

to supply F3relevant benefit information held by the authority or other person to, or to a person providing services to, the Secretary of State or the Northern Ireland Department for use for any purpose relating to social securityF4, child support or war pensions, F5employment or training, private pensions policy or retirement planning.

The Secretary of State or the Northern Ireland Department may require—

to supply benefit policy information held by the authority or other person to, or to a person providing services to, the Secretary of State or the Northern Ireland Department.

Information supplied under subsection (2)F7, in addition to any other purpose for which the information may be used, may be used for any purpose relating to private pensions policy or retirement planning.

Information shall be supplied under subsection (1) or (2) above in such manner and form, and in accordance with such requirements, as may be F8specified in directions given by the Secretary of State or, as the case may be, the Northern Ireland Department.

In subsection (1) “relevant benefit information”, in relation to an authority or other person, means any information which is relevant to the exercise of any function relating to a relevant social security benefit by the authority or other person.

In subsection (2) above “benefit policy information” means any information which may be relevant to the Secretary of State or the Northern Ireland Department—

In this section—

• “private pensions policy” means policy relating to occupational pension schemes or personal pension schemes (within the meaning given by section 1 of the Pension Schemes Act 1993);

• F12“relevant social security benefit” has the same meaning as in section 121DA above;

• “retirement planning” means promoting financial planning for retirement.