18.—(1) The Department, the Commissioners and a district council may exchange information for the purpose of this Order and may disclose information to the competent authorities in England, Scotland and Wales for the purposes of this Order or the equivalent provision in those jurisdictions.
(2) Paragraph (1) is without prejudice to any other power of the Department, the Commissioners or a district council to disclose information.
(3) No person, including a servant of the Crown, may disclose any information received from the Commissioners under paragraph (1) if—
(a)the information relates to a person whose identity—
(i)is specified in the disclosure; or
(ii)can be deduced from the disclosure;
(b)the disclosure is for a purpose other than the purposes specified in paragraph (1); and
(c)the Commissioners have not given their prior consent to its disclosure.