38.—(1) This regulation applies to information relating to rate relief which is held—
(a)by the Department; or
(b)by a person providing services to the Department in connection with the provision of those services.
(2) Information to which this regulation applies may be supplied to—
(a)the Executive; or
(b)a person authorised to exercise any function of the Executive relating to rate relief,
for use in the administration of rate relief.
(3) But where information to which this regulation applies has been supplied to the Department or the person providing services under regulation 37 it may only be supplied under paragraph (2)—
(a)for use in the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of offences relating to rate relief; or
(b)for use in checking the accuracy of information relating to rate relief and (where appropriate) amending or supplementing such information.
(4) The Department—
(a)may impose conditions on the use of information supplied under paragraph (2); and
(b)may charge a reasonable fee in respect of the cost of supplying information under that paragraph.
(5) Where information is supplied to the Executive or other person under paragraph (2), the Executive or other person shall have regard to it in the exercise of any function relating to rate relief.
(6) Information supplied under paragraph (2) shall not be supplied by the recipient to any other person or body unless—
(a)it is supplied—
(i)by the Executive to a person authorised to exercise any function of the Executive relating to rate relief; or
(ii)by a person authorised to exercise any function of the Executive relating to rate relief to the Executive;
(b)it is supplied for the purposes of any civil or criminal proceedings relating to rate relief in the principal Order; or
(c)it is supplied under regulation 39.
(7) This regulation does not limit the circumstances in which information may be supplied apart from it (in particular by reason of regulation 37(4)).
(8) In this regulation and in regulations 39 and 40—
(a)any reference to a person authorised to exercise any function of the Executive relating to housing benefit shall include a reference to a person providing services to the Executive which relate to that benefit; and
(b)any reference to the exercise of any function relating to such a benefit shall include a reference to the provision of any services so relating.