In section 10 of the Courts Act 2003 (c. 39) (appointment of lay justices etc.) after subsection (2) insert—
“(2A)The Lord Chancellor must ensure that arrangements for the exercise, so far as affecting any local justice area, of functions under subsections (1) and (2) include arrangements for consulting persons appearing to him to have special knowledge of matters relevant to the exercise of those functions in relation to that area.”
(1)Information which is held by or on behalf of a permitted person (whether obtained before or after this section comes into force) may be disclosed to the Commission or a committee of the Commission for the purposes of selection under this Part.
(2)A disclosure under this section is not to be taken to breach any restriction on the disclosure of information (however imposed).
(3)But nothing in this section authorises the making of a disclosure—
(a)which contravenes the Data Protection Act 1998 (c. 29), or
(b)which is prohibited by Part 1 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (c. 23).
(4)This section does not affect a power to disclose which exists apart from this section.
(5)The following are permitted persons—
(a)a chief officer of police of a police force in England and Wales;
(b)a chief constable of a police force in Scotland;
(c)the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland;
(d)the Director General of the National Criminal Intelligence Service;
(e)the Director General of the National Crime Squad;
(f)the Commissioners of Inland Revenue;
(g)the Commissioners of Customs and Excise.
(6)The Lord Chancellor may by order designate as permitted persons other persons who exercise functions which he considers are of a public nature (including a body or person discharging regulatory functions in relation to any description of activities).
(7)Information must not be disclosed under this section on behalf of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue or on behalf of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise unless the Commissioners concerned authorise the disclosure.
(8)The power to authorise a disclosure under subsection (7) may be delegated (either generally or for a specific purpose)—
(a)in the case of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, to an officer of the Board of Inland Revenue,
(b)in the case of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, to a customs officer.
(9)For the purposes of this section a customs officer is a person commissioned by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise under section 6(3) of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 (c. 2).