http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/22/schedule/7Crime and Courts Act 2013An Act to establish, and make provision about, the National Crime Agency; to abolish the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the National Policing Improvement Agency; to make provision about the judiciary and the structure, administration, proceedings and powers of courts and tribunals; to make provision about deferred prosecution agreements; to make provision about border control; to make provision about drugs and driving; and for connected purposes.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-01-08Expert Participation2026-01-05 SCHEDULE 7 Section 12 Part 1 11This Part of this Act does not authorise or require—aa disclosure, in contravention of any provisions of the data protection legislation, of personal data which is not exempt from those provisions, orba disclosure which is prohibited by any of Parts 1 to 7 or Chapter 1 of Part 9 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.2In this paragraph, “the data protection legislation” has the same meaning as in the Data Protection Act 2018 (see section 3 of that Act). Part 2 21An NCA officer must not disclose—aHMRC information,bpersonal customs information, orcpersonal customs revenue information,unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.2If an NCA officer has disclosed—aHMRC information,bpersonal customs information, orcpersonal customs revenue information,to a person, that person must not further disclose that information unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.3In this paragraph—“HMRC information” means information obtained by the NCA from the Commissioners or a person acting on behalf of the Commissioners;“personal customs information” and “personal customs revenue information” have the same meanings as in the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 (see section 15(4) of that Act);“relevant authority” means—the Commissioners or an officer of Revenue and Customs (in the case of a disclosure or further disclosure of HMRC information);the Secretary of State or a designated general customs official (in the case of a disclosure or further disclosure of personal customs information);the Director of Border Revenue or a designated customs revenue official (in the case of a disclosure or further disclosure of personal customs revenue information).31An NCA officer must not disclose social security information unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.2If an NCA officer has disclosed social security information to a person, that person must not further disclose that information unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.3In this paragraph—“relevant authority” means—the Secretary of State (in the case of a disclosure or further disclosure of information held, when disclosed to the NCA, for the purposes of the functions of the Secretary of State);the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland (in the case of a disclosure or further disclosure of information held, when disclosed to the NCA, for the purposes of the functions of a Northern Ireland department);“social security information” means information which, when disclosed to the NCA, was information held for the purposes of any of the following functions of the Secretary of State or a Northern Ireland Department—functions relating to social security, including functions relating to—statutory payments as defined in section 4C(11) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992;maternity allowance under section 35 of that Act;statutory payments as defined in section 4C(11) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992;maternity allowance under section 35 of that Act;schemes and arrangements under section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973;functions relating to the investigation and prosecution of offences relating to tax credits.41An NCA officer must not disclose intelligence service information unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.2If an NCA officer has disclosed intelligence service information to a person, that person must not further disclose that information unless the relevant authority consents to the disclosure.3In this paragraph—“intelligence service” means—the Security Service,the Secret Intelligence Service, orGCHQ (which has the same meaning as in the Intelligence Services Act 1994);“intelligence service information” means information obtained from an intelligence service or a person acting on behalf of an intelligence service;“relevant authority” means—the Director-General of the Security Service (in the case of information obtained by the NCA from that Service or a person acting on its behalf);the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (in the case of information obtained by the NCA from that Service or a person acting on its behalf);the Director of GCHQ (in the case of information obtained from GCHQ or a person acting on its behalf).5The Director General must not disclose information if the disclosure would be in breach of a requirement that is imposed on the Director General by the framework document in accordance with section 6(2). Part 3 61If an NCA officer has disclosed information to a person (the “original recipient”), that person must not further disclose the information unless—athe disclosure is—ifor a purpose connected with any relevant function of the original recipient, oriiotherwise for a permitted purpose, andbthe Director General consents to the disclosure.2This paragraph does not apply to a further disclosure of information if—aparagraph 7 or 8 applies, orbthe NCA officer's disclosure to the original recipient was a disclosure—ito the Lord Advocate for the purposes of the exercise of the functions of the Lord Advocate under Part 3 of PCA 2002, oriito the Scottish Ministers for the purposes of the exercise of the functions of the Scottish Ministers under, or in relation to, Part 5 of PCA 2002;and for provision about the further disclosure of such information, see section 441 of PCA 2002.3In this paragraph “relevant function” means any function of the original recipient for the purposes of which the information was disclosed to that recipient.71This paragraph applies to information disclosed by an NCA officer under section 7(7) to the Commissioners.2The information may be further disclosed by the Commissioners only if the disclosure is—afor a purpose connected with any relevant function of the Commissioners, orbotherwise for a permitted purpose.3The information may be further disclosed by a person other than the Commissioners only if—athe disclosure is—ifor a purpose connected with any relevant function of the Commissioners, oriiotherwise for a permitted purpose, andbthe Director General consents to the disclosure.4In this paragraph “relevant function” means any function of the Commissioners for the purposes of which the information was disclosed.8Information disclosed by an NCA officer under section 7(7) to the Lord Advocate may be further disclosed only if the disclosure is—aby the Lord Advocate to the Scottish Ministers, andbfor the purpose of the exercise by the Scottish Ministers of their functions under Part 5 of PCA 2002. Part 4 91This paragraph applies where an NCA officer discloses information, in accordance with this Part of this Act, by—athe inclusion of the information in an annual plan, framework document or annual report, orbthe publication of the information in accordance with arrangements made under section 6.2None of the relevant restrictions applies to the further disclosure of that information by any person.3In this paragraph “relevant restriction” means any provision of this Part of this Act (however expressed) which prohibits or otherwise restricts the further disclosure of information disclosed by an NCA officer (including a provision which limits the purposes for which such information may be further disclosed or which requires a person's consent to be obtained before the further disclosure). Part 5 101An NCA officer commits an offence if—athe NCA officer discloses information, andbthat disclosure breaches the duty under—iparagraph 2(1) (disclosure of HMRC information, personal customs information or personal revenue customs information), oriiparagraph 3(1) (disclosure of social security information).2A person commits an offence if—athe person further discloses information, andbthat further disclosure breaches the duty under—iparagraph 2(2) (further disclosure of HMRC information, personal customs information or personal revenue customs information), oriiparagraph 3(2) (further disclosure of social security information).3It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this paragraph to prove that the person reasonably believed—athat the disclosure was lawful, orbthat the information disclosed had already and lawfully been made available to the public.4A prosecution for an offence under this paragraph—amay be brought in England and Wales only with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions;bmay be brought in Northern Ireland only with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.5This paragraph is without prejudice to the pursuit of any remedy or the taking of any action in relation to a breach of a relevant duty.6A person guilty of an offence under this paragraph is liable on conviction on indictment to either or both of the following—aimprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years;ba fine.7A person guilty of an offence under this paragraph is liable on summary conviction to either or both of the following—aimprisonment for a term not exceeding—ithe general limit in a magistrates’ court on conviction in England and Wales;ii12 months on conviction in Scotland;iii6 months on conviction in Northern Ireland;ba fine not exceeding the statutory maximum.8In relation to an offence committed before 2 May 2022, the reference in sub-paragraph (7)(a)(i) to the period of the general limit in a magistrates’ court is to be read as a reference to the period of 6 months. Part 6 11A consent to disclosure of information under any provision of this Schedule may be given in relation to—aa particular disclosure, orbdisclosures made in circumstances specified or described in the consent.12In this Schedule—“Commissioners” means the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs;“PCA 2002” means the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.Sch. 7 para. 1 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 2 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 3 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 4 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 5 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 6 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 7 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 8 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 9 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 10 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 11 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 12 in force at 7.10.2013 by S.I. 2013/1682, art. 3(r)Sch. 7 para. 1(1): Sch. 7 para. 1 renumbered as Sch. 7 para. 1(1) (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 182(2) (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)Words in Sch. 7 para. 1(1)(a) substituted (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 182(3)(a) (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)Word in Sch. 7 para. 1(1)(a) substituted (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 182(3)(b) (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)Sch. 7 para. 1(2) inserted (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 182(4) (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)Words in Sch. 7 para. 1(b) substituted (27.6.2018) by Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (c. 25), s. 272(1), Sch. 10 para. 29 (with Sch. 9 paras. 7, 8, 10); S.I. 2018/652, reg. 12(g)(iii)Words in Sch. 7 para. 10(8) substituted (28.4.2022) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Commencement No. 33) and Sentencing Act 2020 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/500), regs. 1(2), 5(1), Sch. Pt. 1Words in Sch. 7 para. 10(8) substituted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1 tableWords in Sch. 7 para. 10(7)(a)(i) substituted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1 table