Finance Act 2011

Onward disclosure of information received from HMRCU.K.

4(1)A public authority commits an offence if—U.K.

(a)it discloses relevant information, and

(b)the disclosure is not permitted by sub-paragraph (3).

(2)“Relevant information” is information that—

(a)the public authority has received from HMRC by virtue of paragraph 3, and

(b)relates to a person whose identity is specified in the disclosure or can be deduced from it.

(3)A disclosure is permitted by this sub-paragraph if it is made—

(a)in accordance with paragraph 3,

(b)in accordance with another enactment (or an instrument made under an enactment) permitting the disclosure,

(c)in pursuance of an order of a court,

(d)for the purposes of civil proceedings (whether or not within the United Kingdom),

(e)for the purposes of a criminal investigation or criminal proceedings (whether or not within the United Kingdom),

(f)with the consent of each person to whom the information relates, or

(g)with the consent of the Commissioners.

(4)Sub-paragraph (1) applies to each of the following as it applies to a public authority—

(a)an employee or agent of the public authority;

(b)anyone providing services or exercising functions on behalf of the public authority;

(c)anyone authorised by the public authority to receive information on its behalf.

5(1)It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under paragraph 4 to prove that the person reasonably believed—U.K.

(a)that the disclosure was lawful, or

(b)that the information had already and lawfully been made available to the public.

(2)A person guilty of an offence under paragraph 4 is liable—

(a)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or a fine, or both;

(b)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding [F112 months] [F1the general limit in a magistrates’ court] or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or both.

(3)A prosecution for an offence under paragraph 4 may be instituted in England and Wales [F2only by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.]

(4)A prosecution for an offence under paragraph 4 may be instituted in Northern Ireland only—

(a)by the Commissioners, or

(b)with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.

(5)In the application of this paragraph—

(a)in England and Wales, in relation to an offence committed before [F32 May 2022], or

(b)in Northern Ireland,

the reference in sub-paragraph (2)(b) to [F412 months] [F4the general limit in a magistrates’ court] is to be read as a reference to 6 months.

Textual Amendments