(1)Subject to subsection (2) below, no information with respect to any particular undertaking which has been obtained by or on behalf of the Authority under this Act shall, without the consent of the person carrying on the undertaking, be disclosed otherwise than for the purpose of the discharge of the Authority’s functions.
(2)Subsection (1) above shall not preclude the disclosure of information by or on behalf of the Authority—
(a)to the Ministers or any of them for the purposes of any of their functions relating to the sea fish industry or to the regulation of sea fishing; or
(b)for the purposes of any legal proceedings or of any report of any such proceedings.
[F1, or
(c)to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for the purposes of any of its functions relating to the sea fish industry in Northern Ireland or to the regulation of sea fishing;]
(3)If any person discloses information in contravention of this section he shall be guilty of an offence and liable—
(a)on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both;
(b)on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the prescribed sum or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both.
(4)In subsection (3)(b) above “the prescribed sum” means—
(a)in the case of an offence committed in England, [F2and Wales], the prescribed sum within the meaning of section 32 of the M1Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (£1,000 at the passing of this Act);
(b)in the case of an offence committed in Scotland the prescribed sum within the meaning of section 289B of the M2Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (£1,000 at the passing of this Act);
[F3(c)in the case of an offence committed in Northern Ireland, the prescribed sum within the meaning of Article 4 of the Fines and Penalties (Northern Ireland) Order 1984]
Textual Amendments
F1S. 12(2)(c) and word preceding it inserted (28.3.2002) by S.I. 2002/790, art. 7(3)
F2Words substituted by S.I. 1984/703 (N.I. 3), art. 19(1), Sch. 6 para. 18(a)
F3Words substituted by S.I. 1984/703 (N.I. 3), art. 19(1), Sch. 6 para. 18(b)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 12(2): disclosure powers extended (14.12.2001) by 2001 c. 24, ss. 17, 127(2), Sch. 4 Pt. I para. 19
Marginal Citations
M11980 c 43.