Co-operation
33.Section 20 provides a statutory duty for OSCR to seek to secure co-operation with other relevant regulators, which are defined in subsection 2 as public bodies or office-holders with functions that are similar to those of OSCR, or conferred on them to allow them to regulate persons for other purposes. This provision is intended to ensure that where possible the burden of dual or multiple regulation on the same body by several regulators is minimised.
34.Subsection (3) requires OSCR and any other regulator which has been authorised (under section 38(2)) to carry out OSCR’s functions to co-operate with each other so far as is consistent with their proper functions.
35.Subsection (4) emphasises that there is no requirement for either party co-operating in relation to this section to share information with anyone that they are prevented from disclosing by any other law. Hence no information that is restricted from disclosure by the Data Protection Act may be disclosed by one regulator to another.
