Victims and Prisoners Act 2024

42 Publication of reports

(1) The Secretary of State must publish a copy of a report made under section 41 if—

(a) it is made by the standing advocate under section 41(1) (annual reports),

(b) it is made by an advocate under section 41(3) (reports required by the Secretary of State), or

(c) it is made by an advocate under section 41(7) (reports at discretion of advocate), and the advocate making the report requests in writing that the report is published.

(2) The copy may be published in such manner as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

(3) But material may be omitted from the copy if the Secretary of State considers that the publication of that material would—

(a) risk death or injury to any person,

(b) risk damage to national security or international relations,

(c) risk damage to the economic interests of the United Kingdom or of any part of the United Kingdom,

(d) risk damage caused by disclosure of commercially sensitive information,

(e) breach any conditions as to confidentiality subject to which the advocate making the report acquired the material,

(f) contravene the data protection legislation (within the meaning given by section 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018), or

(g) prejudice—

(i) the investigation or prosecution of an offence,

(ii) an inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005,

(iii) an inquest under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, or

(iv) any other investigation or inquiry by a person exercising functions of a public nature.

(4) The Secretary of State must lay a copy of a report as published under this section before Parliament.