Explanatory Notes

Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003

2003 CHAPTER 6

8 April 2003

Information and Inquiries

Section 27: Restriction on disclosure of information

72.This section inserts a new section 74A into the 2000 Act. Section 74A sets out restrictions on the disclosure of information provided by the Chief Constable to the Board, or to the committee constituted by the Board, or to a person appointed under section 60(9) of the 2000 Act to conduct an inquiry. The restrictions apply where the Chief Constable has notified the recipient that the information is of a sensitive nature, as defined in the new section 33A(3), 59(4C) or 60(10A) of the 2000 Act inserted by sections 10, 11 and 22. Subsection (8) of the new section 74A provides that any person disclosing information in contravention of section 74A shall be guilty of an offence and sets out the relevant sanctions.