Section 204 Restriction on disclosure of information.C1C2

has been obtained by virtue of any of the provisions of this Act; and

relates to the affairs of any individual or to any particular business,

for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out by either of the Ministers, the Agency, F1the NRBW, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, the F2the Water Services Regulation Authority, the Consumer Council for Water, the F3Competition and Markets Authority or a local authority of any of his, its or, as the case may be, their functions by virtue of this Act, any of the other consolidation Acts F4, the Water Act 1989, Part I or IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the 1995 Act, regulations under section 2 of the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999, F5the Water Act 2003, F6the Water Act 2014 or the Natural Resources Body for Wales (Establishment) Order 2012 (S.I.2012/1903);

for the purpose of facilitating the performance by a water undertaker F7, sewerage undertaker or F8person holding a licence under Chapter 1A of Part 2 of the Water Industry Act 1991 of any of the duties imposed F9on the undertaker or, as the case may be, the person by or under this Act, any of the other consolidation Acts F10, the Water Act 1989 F11, the Water Act 2003 or the Water Act 2014;

in pursuance of any duty imposed by section 197(1)(a) or (2) or F12203(1), (1A), (2) or (2A) above or F13of any duty imposed by section 27H of the Water Industry Act 1991;

for the purpose of complying with a request under section 14 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010;

for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out by any person mentioned in Part I of Schedule 24 to this Act of any of his functions under any of the enactments or instruments specified in Part II of that Schedule;

for the purpose of enabling or assisting the Secretary of State, the Treasury F16, the Financial Conduct Authority, the Prudential Regulation Authority or the Bank of England to exercise any powers conferred by or under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 or by the enactments relating to companies or insolvency;

for the purpose of enabling or assisting any inspector appointed under enactments relating to companies to carry out his functions;

for the purpose of enabling an official receiver to carry out his functions under the enactments relating to insolvency or for the purpose of enabling or assisting a recognised professional body for the purposes of section 391 of the M1Insolvency Act 1986 to carry out its functions as such;

for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out by F17... the Health and Safety Executive of any of its functions under any enactment or of facilitating the carrying out by any enforcing authority, within the meaning of Part I of the M2Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, of any functions under a relevant statutory provision, within the meaning of that Act;

for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out by the Office for Nuclear Regulation of any of its functions under any enactment;

for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out by the Comptroller and Auditor General of any of his functions under any enactment;

in connection with the investigation of any criminal offence or for the purposes of any criminal proceedings;

for the purposes of any civil proceedings brought under or by virtue of this Act, any of the other consolidation Acts, the M3Water Act 1989 F19, the Water Act 2003 F20, the Water Act 2014 or any of the enactments or instruments specified in Part II of Schedule 24 to this Act, or of any arbitration under this Act, any of the other consolidation Acts F21, the Water Act 1989 F22, the Water Act 2003 or the Water Act 2014; or

in pursuance of F23F24an assimilated obligation.

as limiting the matters which may be included in, or made public as part of, a report of—

under any provision of this Act F31, Part I or IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, that Act of 1991 F32, the 1995 Act F33, regulations under section 2 of the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999, or the Water Act 2003;

as limiting the matters which may be published under section 201 of that Act F34of 1991; or

as applying to any information which has been made public as part of such a report or has been so published or to any information exclusively of a statistical nature.

if the disclosure is of information relating to a matter connected with the carrying out of the functions of a water undertaker or sewerage undertaker F35, or with the carrying on by F36a person holding a licence under Chapter 1A of Part 2 of the Water Industry Act 1991 of activities under F37the person's licence, and is made by one Minister of the Crown or government department to another; or

if the disclosure is for the purpose of enabling or assisting any public or other authority for the time being designated for the purposes of this section by an order made by the Secretary of State to discharge any functions which are specified in the order.

impose conditions subject to which the disclosure of information is permitted by virtue of that paragraph; and

otherwise restrict the circumstances in which disclosure is so permitted.

on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine or to both.