Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27)

Part 3 U.K. Other measures to prevent or disrupt serious and other crime

Chapter 1 U.K. Prevention of fraud

Sharing information with anti-fraud organisations U.K.

71 Code of practice for disclosure of information to prevent fraud U.K.

(1) The Secretary of State must prepare, and keep under review, a code of practice with respect to the disclosure, for the purposes of preventing fraud or a particular kind of fraud, of information by public authorities as members of specified anti-fraud organisations or otherwise in accordance with any arrangements made by such organisations.

(2) Before preparing or altering the code, the Secretary of State must consult—

(a) any specified anti-fraud organisation;

(b) the Information Commissioner; and

(c) such other persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(3) A public authority must have regard to the code in (or in connection with) disclosing information, for the purposes of preventing fraud or a particular kind of fraud, as a member of a specified anti-fraud organisation or otherwise in accordance with any arrangements made by such an organisation.

F1 (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5) The Secretary of State must—

(a) lay a copy of the code, and of any alterations to it, before Parliament; and

(b) from time to time publish the code as for the time being in force.

(6) In this section—

• “information” and “public authority” have the same meaning as in section 68;

• [F2 “relevant public authority” has the meaning given by section 68(6); and]

• “specified anti-fraud organisation” means any person which is a specified anti-fraud organisation for the purposes of section 68.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 71(4) repealed (8.11.2021) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 98(c)(i), 206(1); S.S.I. 2021/355, art. 2

F2 Words in s. 71(6) repealed (S.) (8.11.2021) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 98(c)(ii), 206(1); S.S.I. 2021/355, art. 2

Commencement Information

I1 S. 71(1)(2)(4)(5) in force at 1.3.2008 by S.I. 2008/219, art. 3(f)

I2 S. 71(3)(6) in force at 1.10.2008 by S.I. 2008/2504, art. 2(d)