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					<dc:identifier>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26</dc:identifier><dc:title>Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026</dc:title><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:publisher>Statute Law Database</dc:publisher><dc:modified>2026-07-16</dc:modified><dc:contributor>Expert Participation</dc:contributor><dct:valid>2026-06-27</dct:valid>
					
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					<ukm:PrimaryMetadata><ukm:DocumentClassification><ukm:DocumentCategory Value="primary"/><ukm:DocumentMainType Value="WelshParliamentAct"/><ukm:DocumentStatus Value="revised"/></ukm:DocumentClassification><ukm:Year Value="2026"/><ukm:Number Value="4"/><ukm:EnactmentDate Date="2026-04-27"/><ukm:ISBN Value="9780348113983"/><ukm:UnappliedEffects><ukm:UnappliedEffect Row="27" AffectingNumber="4" AffectedExtent="E+W" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/effect/key-1f82f052a0f051f6793deca7e8e58dfc" AffectedClass="WelshParliamentAct" AffectedYear="2026" AffectedNumber="4" AffectedTerritorialApplication="W" RequiresApplied="true" AffectingClass="WelshParliamentAct" Created="2026-06-17T12:08:45Z" RequiresWelshApplied="true" AffectingYear="2026" EffectId="key-1f82f052a0f051f6793deca7e8e58dfc" AffectingURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4" AffectedProvisions="s. 26" AffectedURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4" AffectingProvisions="s. 46(4)(5)(6)(c)" Type="coming into force"><ukm:AffectedTitle>Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026</ukm:AffectedTitle><ukm:AffectedTitle xml:lang="cy">Deddf yr Amgylchedd (Egwyddorion, Llywodraethiant a Thargedau Bioamrywiaeth) (Cymru) 2026</ukm:AffectedTitle><ukm:AffectedProvisions><ukm:Section Ref="section-26" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26">s. 26</ukm:Section></ukm:AffectedProvisions><ukm:AffectingTitle>Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Act 2026</ukm:AffectingTitle><ukm:AffectingTitle xml:lang="cy">Deddf yr Amgylchedd (Egwyddorion, Llywodraethiant a Thargedau Bioamrywiaeth) (Cymru) 2026</ukm:AffectingTitle><ukm:AffectingProvisions><ukm:Section Ref="section-46-4" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/46/4">s. 46(4)</ukm:Section><ukm:Section Ref="section-46-5" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/46/5">(5)</ukm:Section><ukm:Section Ref="section-46-6-c" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/46/6/c">s. 46(6)(c)</ukm:Section></ukm:AffectingProvisions><ukm:InForceDates><ukm:InForce Applied="false" WelshApplied="false" Date="2028-04-27" Qualification="other" OtherQualification="(conditional on an earlier day not being appointed by Welsh Ministers)"/></ukm:InForceDates></ukm:UnappliedEffect></ukm:UnappliedEffects></ukm:PrimaryMetadata>
					

                    
									 
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				</ukm:Metadata><Primary><Body DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/body" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/body" NumberOfProvisions="58" NumberFormat="default" TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" RestrictStartDate="2026-06-27"><Part DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/part/2" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/part/2" NumberOfProvisions="27" id="part-2" TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" RestrictStartDate="2026-06-27"><Number>PART 2</Number><Title>THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE WALES</Title><Pblock DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/part/2/crossheading/disclosure-of-information-and-confidentiality" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/part/2/crossheading/disclosure-of-information-and-confidentiality" NumberOfProvisions="4" id="part-2-crossheading-disclosure-of-information-and-confidentiality" TerritorialApplication="W" RestrictExtent="E+W" Match="false" Status="Prospective"><Title>Disclosure of information and confidentiality</Title><P1group Match="false" Status="Prospective" RestrictExtent="E+W" TerritorialApplication="W"><Title>Disclosure of information to the OEGW</Title><P1 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26" id="section-26">
<Pnumber PuncAfter=""><CommentaryRef Ref="key-1f82f052a0f051f6793deca7e8e58dfc"/>26</Pnumber>
<P1para>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/1" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/1" id="section-26-1">
<Pnumber>1</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>A public authority’s disclosure of information to the OEGW in accordance with a provision mentioned in subsection (3) does not breach—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/1/a" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/1/a" id="section-26-1-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>any obligation of confidence owed by the authority, or</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/1/b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/1/b" id="section-26-1-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>any other restriction on the disclosure of information (however imposed).</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/2" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/2" id="section-26-2">
<Pnumber>2</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>But see also section 183A of the Data Protection Act <Citation URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2018/12" id="c00006" Year="2018" Number="12" Class="UnitedKingdomPublicGeneralAct">2018 (c. 12)</Citation> (protection of requirements for processing personal data).</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/3" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/3" id="section-26-3">
<Pnumber>3</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The provisions are—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/3/a" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/3/a" id="section-26-3-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>section 15(1) (information notices);</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/3/b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/3/b" id="section-26-3-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>section 20(10) (requirement to provide information that the OEGW reasonably requires for the purposes of a review of a compliance notice);</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/3/c" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/3/c" id="section-26-3-c">
<Pnumber>c</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>section 25(1) (public authority’s duty to co-operate with the OEGW).</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/4" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/4" id="section-26-4">
<Pnumber>4</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Nothing in this Part requires a public authority to provide the OEGW with information—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/4/a" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/4/a" id="section-26-4-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>that the authority would be entitled to refuse to provide in civil proceedings on the grounds of legal professional privilege, or</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2026/4/section/26/4/b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/26/4/b" id="section-26-4-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>that the authority would be entitled, or required by any rule of law, to refuse to provide in civil proceedings on the grounds of public interest immunit‍y.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
</P1para>
</P1></P1group></Pblock></Part></Body></Primary><Commentaries><Commentary Type="I" id="key-1f82f052a0f051f6793deca7e8e58dfc"><Para><Text>S. 26  in force at 27.4.2028 (conditional on an earlier day not being appointed by Welsh Ministers), see <CitationSubRef id="n91b3c90ffb3e049d" SectionRef="section-46-4-5" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/asc/2026/4/section/46/4/5" Operative="true">s. 46(4)(5)</CitationSubRef>(6)(c)</Text></Para></Commentary></Commentaries></Legislation>