Digital Economy Act 2017

• Citation: 2017 c. 30
• Sections: 595

Section 1 Universal service broadband obligations

(1) The Communications Act 2003 is amended as follows.

(2) Section 65 (obligations to be secured by universal service conditions) is amended as follows.

(3) In subsection (1) omit “(“ the universal service order ”)”.

(4) After subsection (2) insert—

(2A) The provision made under subsection (1) is referred to as “ the universal service order ”.

(2B) The universal service order may in particular say that broadband connections and services must be provided to any extent, but may not do so unless—

(a) it specifies the minimum download speed that must be provided by those connections and services, and

(b) the speed so specified is at least 10 megabits per second.

(2C) The universal service order may contain—

(a) guidance about matters relating to the speed or other characteristics of broadband connections or services that it says must be provided (as well as or, except in the case of the minimum download speed, instead of setting out any of those characteristics); and

(b) guidance about any other matters relating to those connections or services.

(5) In section 66 (designation of universal service provider) after subsection (9) insert—

(9A) In making any regulations under this section, OFCOM must have regard to any guidance that is contained in the universal service order.

(6) In section 67(8) (universal service conditions: duty to have regard to guidance) omit “about matters relating to pricing”.

(7) After section 72 (before the heading “Access-related conditions”) insert—

Review of universal service order

(72A)

(1) The Secretary of State may direct OFCOM to review and report to the Secretary of State on any provision made, or that may be made, by the universal service order in relation to broadband connections or services.

(2) The Secretary of State must consult OFCOM before giving a direction under this section.

(3) The Secretary of State must publish a direction under this section.

(4) OFCOM must publish the report made by them to the Secretary of State of a review under this section.

Broadband download speeds: duty to give direction under section 72A

(72B)

(1) The Secretary of State must give OFCOM a direction under section 72A if—

(a) the universal service order specifies a minimum download speed for broadband connections and services and the speed so specified is less than 30 megabits per second, and

(b) it appears to the Secretary of State, on the basis of information published by OFCOM, that broadband connections or services that provide a minimum download speed of at least 30 megabits per second are subscribed to for use in at least 75% of premises in the United Kingdom.

(2) The direction—

(a) must require OFCOM to review and report to the Secretary of State on whether it would be appropriate for the universal service order to specify a higher minimum download speed, and

(b) may also require OFCOM to review and report to the Secretary of State on any other matter falling within section 72A(1).

(8) In section 135(3)(f) (power of OFCOM to require information for purposes of reviews) for “or 70” substitute “ , 70 or 72A ” .

Section 2 General conditions: switching communications provider

(1) Section 51(2) of the Communications Act 2003 (conditions which may be set for protecting interests of end-users) is amended as follows.

(2) Omit “and” after paragraph (g).

(3) After paragraph (h) insert—

(i) specify requirements in relation to arrangements that enable an end-user to change communications provider on request.

Section 3 Automatic compensation for failure to meet performance standards

In section 51(2) of the Communications Act 2003 (conditions which may be set for protecting interests of end-users), after paragraph (d) insert—

(da) require a communications provider to pay compensation to an end-user on failing to meet a specified standard or obligation;

Section 4 The electronic communications code

(1) In the Telecommunications Act 1984 omit Schedule 2 (the telecommunications code).

(2) Before Schedule 4 to the Communications Act 2003 insert Schedule 3A set out in Schedule 1 to this Act.

(3) Section 106 of the Communications Act 2003 (application of the electronic communications code) is amended as follows.

(4) In subsection (1) for “the code set out in Schedule 2 to the Telecommunications Act 1984 (c 12)” substitute “ the code set out in Schedule 3A ” .

(5) Omit subsection (2).

(6) In subsection (4)(b) for “conduits” substitute “ infrastructure ” .

(7) In subsection (5)(c) for “conduit system” in each place substitute “ system of infrastructure ” .

(8) In subsection (6) for “16(3)” substitute “ 85(7) ” .

(9) Omit subsection (7).

(10) Schedules 2 (transitional provisions) and 3 (consequential amendments) have effect.

Section 5 Power to make transitional provision in connection with the code

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument make transitional, transitory or saving provision in connection with the coming into force of section 4 and Schedule 1.

(2) Regulations under this section may amend Schedule 2.

(3) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section—

(a) if it includes provision made by virtue of subsection (2), may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament;

(b) otherwise, is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Section 6 Power to make consequential provision etc in connection with the code

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make consequential provision in connection with any provision made by or under section 4 or this section or Schedule 1 or 3.

(2) Regulations under subsection (1) may amend, repeal, revoke or otherwise modify the application of any enactment (but, in the case of primary legislation, only if the primary legislation was passed or made before the end of the Session in which this Act is passed).

(3) Regulations under this section—

(a) are to be made by statutory instrument;

(b) may make different provision for different purposes;

(c) may include incidental, supplementary, consequential, transitional, transitory or saving provision.

(4) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section (whether alone or with other provisions) which amend, repeal or modify the application of primary legislation may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

(5) Any other statutory instrument containing regulations under this section is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(6) In this section—

“ enactment ” includes—

an enactment comprised in subordinate legislation within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978,

an enactment comprised in, or in an instrument made under, a Measure or Act of the National Assembly for Wales,

an enactment comprised in, or in an instrument made under, an Act of the Scottish Parliament, and

an enactment comprised in, or in an instrument made under, Northern Ireland legislation;

“ primary legislation ” means—

an Act of Parliament,

a Measure or Act of the National Assembly for Wales,

an Act of the Scottish Parliament, or

Northern Ireland legislation.

Section 7 Application of the code: protection of the environment

For section 109(2A) of the Communications Act 2003 (under which regulations that set restrictions and conditions to the application of the electronic communications code are deemed by subsection (2B) to comply with duties under National Parks and other legislation if they comply with the duty to have regard to the need to protect the environment, but only if they expire before 6 April 2018) substitute—

(2A) Subsection (2B) applies if the Secretary of State has complied with subsection (2)(b) in connection with any particular exercise of the power to make regulations under this section.

Section 8 Regulation of dynamic spectrum access services

(1) After Part 2 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 insert—

Regulation of dynamic spectrum access services

Registration

Registration of providers of dynamic spectrum access services

(53A)

(1) A person who provides, or proposes to provide, a dynamic spectrum access service may be registered under this section by OFCOM.

(2) An application for registration under this section—

(a) is to be made to OFCOM, and

(b) must contain such information as OFCOM may reasonably require.

(3) OFCOM must, from time to time as they think fit, publish—

(a) the criteria for determining applications under this section, and

(b) information relating to the restrictions and conditions to which registration under this section may be subject.

(4) The criteria published under subsection (3)(a) may include different provision for different cases.

(5) Registration under this section is to be for such period, and subject to such restrictions and conditions, as OFCOM think fit.

(6) Any such restrictions and conditions are to be contained in a notice in writing given to the person registered under this section.

(7) In this Act “ dynamic spectrum access service ” means a service that provides information about—

(a) the availability for use by wireless telegraphy stations and wireless telegraphy apparatus of frequencies that fall within a frequency band specified in regulations made by OFCOM, and

(b) the places in which, the power at which, the times when and any conditions subject to which such stations and apparatus may use such frequencies.

Revocation and variation of registration

(53B)

(1) OFCOM may revoke a registration under section 53A, or vary the restrictions and conditions to which it is subject—

(a) by notice in writing given to the person registered under that section, or

(b) by a general notice applicable to the class to which the person belongs, published in such way as appears to OFCOM to be appropriate.

(2) Where OFCOM propose to revoke or vary a registration, they must give the person registered under section 53A a notification—

(a) stating the reason for the proposed revocation or variation, and

(b) specifying the period during which the person notified has an opportunity to make representations about the proposal.

(3) Nothing in subsection (2) applies to a proposal to revoke or vary a registration if the proposal is made at the request or with the consent of the person registered under section 53A.

(4) Nothing in this section applies in relation to—

(a) a notification given under section 53E, or

(b) a decision given under section 53G.

Register of providers of dynamic spectrum access services

(53C)

(1) OFCOM must establish and maintain a register for the purposes of this Part.

(2) The register is to contain—

(a) the names of the persons registered under section 53A, and

(b) such other information relating to the registration of those persons as OFCOM consider appropriate.

(3) OFCOM may make available to users or prospective users of dynamic spectrum access services such information contained in the register as they consider appropriate.

Fees

Fees for registration etc

(53D)

(1) Regulations made by OFCOM may provide for OFCOM to charge fees—

(a) for registering a person under section 53A;

(b) for the continuation in force of such a registration;

(c) for the variation or revocation of such a registration;

(d) for anything done by OFCOM in connection with facilitating the service provided by a person registered under section 53A.

(2) Subsection (1)(d) does not include anything for which OFCOM may charge under any other enactment.

(3) The fees—

(a) are to be determined by or in accordance with the regulations, and

(b) are to be payable by the person who is to be, is or has been registered under section 53A.

(4) The regulations may—

(a) confer exemptions in particular cases, and

(b) provide for sums paid to be refunded, in whole or in part, in such cases as may be specified in the regulations or in such cases as OFCOM think fit.

(5) Where OFCOM register a person in circumstances in which sums will or may subsequently become payable under the regulations, OFCOM may require such security to be given, by way of deposit or otherwise, for the payment of those sums as they think fit.

(6) A sum which is required to be paid to OFCOM by virtue of the regulations must be paid to OFCOM as soon as it becomes payable in accordance with the regulations and, if it is not paid, is recoverable by them accordingly.

Enforcement

Notification of contravention of registration restrictions or conditions

(53E)

(1) Where OFCOM determine that there are reasonable grounds for believing that a person registered under section 53A is contravening, or has contravened, the restrictions or conditions subject to which the person is registered they may give that person a notification under this section.

(2) A notification under this section is one which—

(a) sets out the determination made by OFCOM,

(b) specifies the restriction or condition and contravention in respect of which that determination has been made,

(c) specifies the period during which the person notified has an opportunity to make representations,

(d) specifies the steps that OFCOM think should be taken by the person in order to—

(i) comply with the restriction or condition;

(ii) remedy the consequences of the contravention,

(e) if OFCOM are minded to suspend or revoke the person's registration, contains a statement to that effect, and

(f) specifies any penalty which OFCOM are minded to impose in accordance with section 53F.

(3) A notification under this section—

(a) may be given in respect of more than one contravention, and

(b) if it is given in respect of a continuing contravention, may be given in respect of any period during which the contravention has continued.

(4) Where a notification under this section has been given to a person in respect of a contravention of a restriction or condition, OFCOM may give a further notification in respect of the same contravention of that restriction or condition if, and only if—

(a) the contravention is one occurring after the time of the giving of the earlier notification,

(b) the contravention is a continuing contravention and the subsequent notification is in respect of so much of a period as falls after a period to which the earlier notification relates, or

(c) the earlier notification has been withdrawn without a penalty having been imposed, or other action taken, in respect of the notified contravention.

Penalties under section 53E

(53F)

(1) This section applies where a person is given a notification under section 53E that specifies a proposed penalty.

(2) Where the notification relates to more than one contravention, a separate penalty may be specified in respect of each contravention.

(3) Where the notification relates to a continuing contravention, no more than one penalty may be specified in respect of the period of contravention specified in the notification.

(4) But, in relation to a continuing contravention, a penalty may be specified in respect of each day on which the contravention continues after—

(a) the giving of a confirmation decision under section 53G which requires immediate action, or

(b) the expiry of any period specified in the confirmation decision for complying with a requirement so specified.

(5) The amount of a penalty specified under subsection (4) is to be such amount, not exceeding £20,000 per day, as OFCOM think—

(a) appropriate, and

(b) proportionate to the contravention in respect of which it is imposed.

(6) The amount of any other penalty specified under this section is to be such amount, not exceeding 10% of the relevant amount of gross revenue, as OFCOM think—

(a) appropriate, and

(b) proportionate to the contravention in respect of which it is imposed.

Enforcement of notification under section 53E

(53G)

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a person has been given a notification under section 53E,

(b) OFCOM have allowed the person an opportunity to make representations about the matters notified, and

(c) the period allowed for the making of representations has expired.

(2) OFCOM may—

(a) give the person a decision (a “confirmation decision”) confirming the imposition of requirements on the person, or the suspension or revocation of the person's registration, or both, in accordance with the notification under section 53E, or

(b) inform the person that they are satisfied with the person's representations and that no further action will be taken.

(3) OFCOM may not give a confirmation decision to a person unless, after considering any representations, they are satisfied that the person has, in one or more of the respects notified, been in contravention of a restriction or condition specified in the notification under section 53E.

(4) A confirmation decision—

(a) must be given to the person without delay,

(b) must include reasons for the decision,

(c) may require immediate action by the person to comply with requirements of a kind mentioned in section 53E(2)(d), or may specify a period within which the person must comply with those requirements,

(d) may require the person to pay—

(i) the penalty specified in the notification under section 53E, or

(ii) such lesser penalty as OFCOM consider appropriate in the light of the person's representations or steps taken by the person to comply with the condition or restriction or remedy the consequences of the contravention, and

(e) may specify the period within which any such penalty is to be paid.

(5) It is the duty of the person to comply with any requirement imposed by a confirmation decision.

(6) That duty is enforceable in civil proceedings by OFCOM—

(a) for an injunction,

(b) for specific performance of a statutory duty under section 45 of the Court of Session Act 1988, or

(c) for any other appropriate remedy or relief.

(7) A penalty imposed by a confirmation decision—

(a) must be paid to OFCOM, and

(b) if not paid within the period specified by them, is to be recoverable by them accordingly.

Meaning of “relevant amount of gross revenue”

(53H)

(1) The relevant amount of gross revenue for the purposes of section 53F, in relation to a penalty imposed on a person, is—

(a) where the last accounting period of that person which falls before the contravention was a period of 12 months, the relevant part of the person's gross revenue for that period, and

(b) in any other case, the amount which, by making any appropriate apportionments or other adjustments of the relevant part of the person's gross revenue for the accounting period or periods mentioned in subsection (2), is computed to be the amount representing the annual rate for the relevant part of the person's gross revenue.

(2) The accounting period or periods referred to in subsection (1) are—

(a) every accounting period of the person to end within the period of 12 months immediately preceding the contravention, and

(b) if there is no such accounting period, the accounting period of the person which is current at the time of the contravention.

(3) A reference to the relevant part of a person's gross revenue, in relation to a contravention of the restrictions or conditions subject to which the person is registered under section 53A, is a reference to so much of the person's gross revenue as is attributable to the provision of the dynamic spectrum access service to which the contravention relates.

(4) For the purposes of this section—

(a) the gross revenue of a person for a period, and

(b) the extent to which a part of a person's gross revenue is attributable to the provision of any dynamic spectrum access service,

is to be ascertained in accordance with such principles as may be set out in a statement made by OFCOM.

(5) Such a statement may provide for the amount of a person's gross revenue for an accounting period that is current when the amount falls to be calculated to be taken to be the amount estimated by OFCOM, in accordance with the principles set out in the statement, to be the amount that will be the person's gross revenue for that period.

(6) OFCOM may revise a statement made under subsection (4) from time to time.

(7) A statement made or revised under this section may set out different principles for different cases.

(8) Before making or revising a statement under this section, OFCOM must consult the Secretary of State and the Treasury.

(9) OFCOM must—

(a) publish the statement made under subsection (4) and every revision of it, and

(b) send a copy of the statement and of every such revision to the Secretary of State,

and the Secretary of State must lay copies of the statement and of every such revision before each House of Parliament.

(10) In this section—

“ accounting period ”, in relation to a person, means a period in respect of which accounts of the undertaking carried on by the person are prepared or, if one such period is comprised in another, whichever of those periods is or is closest to a 12 month period;

“ gross revenue ”, in relation to a person, means the gross revenue of an undertaking carried on by that person.

Requirement to provide information about gross revenue

(53I)

(1) OFCOM may require a person to whom a notification has been given under section 53E to provide them with all such information as they may require for the purpose of ascertaining the person's gross revenue.

(2) A demand for information required under this section must be contained in a notice given to the person from whom the information is required.

(3) A person required to give information under this section must provide it in such manner and within such reasonable period as may be specified by OFCOM.

(4) Sections 53K to 53M apply for the purposes of a requirement imposed under this section as they apply for the purposes of a requirement imposed under section 53J.

Information

Provision of information to persons registered under section 53A

(53J)

(1) OFCOM may require a person falling within subsection (2) to provide a person registered under section 53A with all such information as OFCOM consider necessary and proportionate for the purpose of enabling the registered person to avoid undue interference with wireless telegraphy.

(2) The persons falling within this subsection are—

(a) a person who is using, or has established or used, a wireless telegraphy station, and

(b) a person who is using, or has installed or used, wireless telegraphy apparatus.

(3) A demand for information required under this section must be contained in a notice given to the person from whom the information is required.

(4) The notice must—

(a) describe the required information,

(b) specify the manner and form in which it is to be provided,

(c) specify when and (if appropriate) how frequently it is to be provided, and

(d) specify to whom it is to be provided.

Notification of contravention of information requirements

(53K)

(1) Where OFCOM determine that there are reasonable grounds for believing that a person is contravening, or has contravened, a requirement imposed under section 53J, they may give the person a notification under this section.

(2) A notification under this section is one which—

(a) sets out the determination made by OFCOM,

(b) specifies the requirement and contravention in respect of which the determination has been made,

(c) specifies the period during which the person notified has an opportunity to make representations, and

(d) specifies any penalty which OFCOM are minded to impose in accordance with section 53L.

(3) A notification under this section—

(a) may be given in respect of more than one contravention, and

(b) if it is given in respect of a continuing contravention, may be given in respect of any period during which the contravention has continued.

(4) Where a notification under this section has been given to a person in respect of a contravention of a requirement, OFCOM may give a further notification in respect of the same contravention if, and only if—

(a) the contravention is one occurring after the time of the giving of the earlier notification,

(b) the contravention is a continuing contravention and the subsequent notification is in respect of so much of a period as falls after a period to which the earlier notification relates, or

(c) the earlier notification has been withdrawn without a penalty having been imposed in respect of the notified contravention.

Penalties under section 53K

(53L)

(1) This section applies where a person is given a notification under section 53K that specifies a proposed penalty.

(2) Where the notification relates to more than one contravention, a separate penalty may be specified in respect of each contravention.

(3) Where the notification relates to a continuing contravention, no more than one penalty may be specified in respect of the period of contravention specified in the notification.

(4) But, in relation to a continuing contravention, a penalty may be specified in respect of each day on which the contravention continues after—

(a) the giving of a confirmation decision under section 53M(4)(c) which requires immediate action, or

(b) the expiry of any period specified in the confirmation decision for complying with a requirement so specified.

(5) The amount of a penalty specified under subsection (4) is to be such amount, not exceeding £20,000 per day, as OFCOM determine to be—

(a) appropriate; and

(b) proportionate to the contravention in respect of which it is imposed.

(6) The amount of any other penalty specified under this section is to be such amount, not exceeding £2 million, as OFCOM determine to be both—

(a) appropriate; and

(b) proportionate to the contravention in respect of which it is imposed.

Enforcement of notification under section 53K

(53M)

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a person has been given a notification under section 53K,

(b) OFCOM have allowed the person an opportunity to make representations about the matters notified, and

(c) the period allowed for the making of representations has expired.

(2) OFCOM may—

(a) give the person a decision (a “confirmation decision”) confirming the imposition of requirements in accordance with the notification under section 53K, or

(b) inform the person that they are satisfied with the person's representations and that no further action will be taken.

(3) OFCOM may not give a confirmation decision to a person unless, after considering any representations, they are satisfied that the person has, in one or more of the respects notified, been in contravention of a requirement notified under section 53K.

(4) A confirmation decision—

(a) must be given to the person without delay,

(b) must include reasons for the decision,

(c) may require immediate action by the person to comply with a requirement notified under section 53K, or may specify a period within which the person must comply with the requirement,

(d) may require the person to pay—

(i) the penalty specified in the notification under section 53L, or

(ii) such lesser penalty as OFCOM consider appropriate in the light of the person's representations or steps taken by the person to comply with the requirement or remedy the consequences of the contravention, and

(e) may specify the period within which any such penalty is to be paid.

(5) It is the duty of the person to comply with any requirement imposed by a confirmation decision.

(6) That duty is enforceable in civil proceedings by OFCOM—

(a) for an injunction,

(b) for specific performance of a statutory duty under section 45 of the Court of Session Act 1988, or

(c) for any other appropriate remedy or relief.

(7) A penalty imposed by a confirmation decision—

(a) must be paid to OFCOM, and

(b) if not paid within the period specified by them, is to be recoverable by them accordingly.

(2) In section 111(3) of that Act (exemptions from general restriction on disclosure), after paragraph (c) insert—

(ca) by OFCOM to a person registered under section 53A for the purpose of providing the dynamic spectrum access service in respect of which the person is registered;

(3) In section 115(1) of that Act (general interpretation), at the appropriate place insert—

“ dynamic spectrum access service ” has the meaning given by section 53A;

(4) In section 400(1) of the Communications Act 2003 (destination of fees and penalties)—

(a) in paragraph (d), before “of that Act” insert “ or Part 2A ” , and

(b) after that paragraph insert—

(da) an amount paid to OFCOM in respect of a fee charged under section 53D of that Act;

(5) In Schedule 8 to that Act (decisions not subject to appeal)—

(a) in paragraph 40(a), after “45” insert “ , 53A(7), 53D ” ,

(b) in paragraph 41, for “or 24” substitute “ , 24 or 53D(6) ” , and

(c) in paragraph 43, omit the “or” after paragraph (a) and at the end of paragraph (b) insert

, or

(c) section 53H.

Section 9 Penalties for contravention of wireless telegraphy licences

(1) The Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 42 (special procedure for contraventions by multiplex licence holders), in subsection (1)—

(a) in paragraph (a), for “general multiplex” substitute “ wireless telegraphy ” , and

(b) omit paragraph (b).

(3) At the end of that section insert—

(7) A contravention is a “ relevant multiplex contravention ” for the purposes of section 43 if—

(a) it is a contravention of terms, provisions or limitations of a general multiplex licence, and

(b) the contravention relates only to terms, provisions or limitations that fall within section 9(4)(b) or (c).

(4) In the heading of that section, for “multiplex licence holders” substitute “ holders of wireless telegraphy licences ” .

(5) In section 43 (amount of penalty under section 42), in subsection (1), after “section 42” insert “ for a relevant multiplex contravention (see subsection (7) of that section) ” .

(6) In that section, after subsection (2) insert—

(2A) The amount of a penalty imposed under section 42 for a contravention that is not a relevant multiplex contravention is to be such amount not exceeding 10 per cent of the relevant amount of gross revenue as OFCOM think—

(a) appropriate; and

(b) proportionate to the contravention in respect of which it is imposed.

(7) In that section, in subsection (3), for “subsection (2)” substitute “ this section ” .

(8) Omit section 43A.

(9) In section 44 (relevant amount of gross revenue), in subsections (1) and (10), omit “or 43A”.

(10) In section 400 of the Communications Act 2003 (destination of licence fees and penalties), in subsection (1)(d), omit “or 43A”.

(11) In Schedule 8 to that Act (decisions not subject to appeal), at the end of paragraph 44 insert “ for a relevant multiplex contravention ” .

(12) Omit section 39 of the Digital Economy Act 2010.

(13) The amendments and repeals made by this section do not apply in relation to—

(a) any contravention which takes place before the day on which this section comes into force, or

(b) any continuing contravention which began before that day.

Section 10 Fixed penalties under Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006

(1) In paragraph 4(2)(a) of Schedule 4 to the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (suspended enforcement period for purposes of fixed penalty notice) for “one month” substitute “ 28 days ” .

(2) The amendment made by this section does not apply in relation to a fixed penalty notice issued in respect of an offence committed before this section comes into force.

Section 11 Search warrants under Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006

(1) In section 97(3) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (period for entering premises under warrant) for “of three months beginning with the day after the date of the warrant” substitute “ beginning with the grant of the warrant and ending three months after the end of the day on which the warrant is granted ” .

(2) The amendment made by this section does not apply in relation to a warrant granted in respect of an offence committed before this section comes into force.

Section 12 Disposal of seized property under Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006

(1) In section 101 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (detention and disposal of seized property), for subsection (5) substitute—

(5) OFCOM may dispose of the property in such manner as they think fit if it remains in their possession after the end of the six months immediately following—

(a) the end of the period of detention authorised by subsection (2)(a), or

(b) if subsection (2)(b) applies, the end of the day on which the proceedings referred to in that provision were concluded.

(2) The amendment made by this section does not apply where the relevant offence is one committed before this section comes into force.

(3) The relevant offence—

(a) where section 101(1)(a) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 applies, is the offence in relation to which the warrant is granted;

(b) where section 101(1)(b) of that Act applies, is the offence referred to in section 99(3) of that Act.

Section 13 Time limits for prosecutions under Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006

(1) The Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 107 (proceedings and enforcement), after subsection (3) insert—

(3A) For the time limit for bringing proceedings which are for a summary offence under section 35 and to which section 41 applies see section 41(7).

(3B) The time limit for bringing any other proceedings for a summary offence under section 35, 58 or 66 is—

(a) one year from the end of the day on which the prosecutor becomes aware of evidence which he or she considers sufficient to justify a prosecution for the offence, or

(b) if earlier, three years from the end of the day on which the offence was committed.

(3C) Section 41(7) and subsection (3B) above have effect despite—

(a) section 127 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (time limit for bringing proceedings for summary offences in England and Wales),

(b) Article 19 of the Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 ( S.I. 1981/1675 (N.I. 26)) (equivalent provision for Northern Ireland), and

(c) section 136 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (equivalent provision for Scotland).

(3D) In relation to proceedings in Scotland, subsection (3) of section 136 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (date when proceedings deemed to be commenced for the purposes of that section) applies also for the purposes of section 41(7) and subsection (3B) above.

(3) In section 41 (procedure for prosecutions)—

(a) in subsection (3)(b) for “allowed under that section” substitute “ specified under section 39(2)(c) for making representations ” ;

(b) in subsection (7) for the words from “allowed” to the end substitute “ specified under section 39(2)(c). ” ;

(c) for subsection (8) substitute—

(8) For further provision about prosecutions see section 107.

(4) The amendments made by this section do not apply in relation to an offence committed before this section comes into force.

Section 14 Internet pornography: requirement to prevent access by persons under 18

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Section 15 Meaning of “pornographic material”

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Section 16 The age-verification regulator: designation and funding

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Section 17 Parliamentary procedure for designation of age-verification regulator

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Section 18 Regulator's power to require information

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Section 19 Enforcement by regulator of sections 14 and 18

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Section 20 Financial penalties imposed by regulator

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Section 21 Notice by regulator to payment-services providers and ancillary service providers

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Section 22 Meaning of “extreme pornographic material”

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Section 23 Regulator's power to require internet service providers to block access to material

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Section 24 No power to give notice under section 23(1) where detrimental to national security etc

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Section 25 Guidance to be published by regulator

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Section 26 Exercise of functions by regulator

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Section 27 Guidance by Secretary of State to regulator

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Section 28 Requirements for notices given by regulator under this Part

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Section 29 Report on this Part

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Section 30 Interpretation and general provisions relating to this Part

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Section 31 Lending of e-books by public libraries

(1) In section 5(2) of the Public Lending Right Act 1979 (interpretation) for the definition of “lent out” substitute—

“ lent out ” means made available to a member of the public for use away from library premises for a limited time (including by being communicated by means of electronic transmission to a place other than library premises) and “ loan ” and “ borrowed ” are to be read accordingly;

(2) Section 40A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (lending of copies by libraries or archives) is amended as follows.

(3) After subsection (1) insert—

(1ZA) Subsection (1) applies to an e-book or an e-audio-book only if—

(a) the book has been lawfully acquired by the library, and

(b) the lending is in compliance with any purchase or licensing terms to which the book is subject.

(4) In subsection (1A)—

(a) for “subsection (1)” substitute “ subsections (1) and (1ZA) ” ;

(b) after paragraph (a) insert—

(aa) “ e-audio-book ” means an audio-book (as defined in paragraph (a)) in a form enabling lending of the book by electronic transmission,

Section 32 Offences: infringing copyright and making available right

(1) The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 107 (criminal liability for making or dealing with infringing articles, etc), for subsection (2A) substitute—

(2A) A person (“P”) who infringes copyright in a work by communicating the work to the public commits an offence if P—

(a) knows or has reason to believe that P is infringing copyright in the work, and

(b) either—

(i) intends to make a gain for P or another person, or

(ii) knows or has reason to believe that communicating the work to the public will cause loss to the owner of the copyright, or will expose the owner of the copyright to a risk of loss.

(2B) For the purposes of subsection (2A)—

(a) “gain” and “loss”—

(i) extend only to gain or loss in money, and

(ii) include any such gain or loss whether temporary or permanent, and

(b) “ loss ” includes a loss by not getting what one might get.

(3) In subsection (4A)(b) of that section, for “two” substitute “ ten ” .

(4) In section 198 (criminal liability for making, dealing with or using illicit recordings), for subsection (1A) substitute—

(1A) A person (“P”) who infringes a performer's making available right in a recording commits an offence if P—

(a) knows or has reason to believe that P is infringing the right, and

(b) either—

(i) intends to make a gain for P or another person, or

(ii) knows or has reason to believe that infringing the right will cause loss to the owner of the right, or expose the owner of the right to a risk of loss.

(1B) For the purposes of subsection (1A)—

(a) “gain” and “loss”—

(i) extend only to gain or loss in money, and

(ii) include any such gain or loss whether temporary or permanent, and

(b) “ loss ” includes a loss by not getting what one might get.

(5) In subsection (5A)(b) of that section, for “two” substitute “ ten ” .

(6) The amendments made by this section do not apply in relation to offences committed before this section comes into force.

Section 33 Registered designs: infringement: marking product with internet link

(1) Section 24B of the Registered Designs Act 1949 (exemption of innocent infringer from liability) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (2) (defendant not deemed to have been aware etc that design was registered by reason of the marking of the product unless it includes the number of the design), after “the number of the design” insert “ or a relevant internet link ” .

(3) After that subsection insert—

(2A) The reference in subsection (2) to a relevant internet link is a reference to an address of a posting on the internet—

(a) which is accessible to the public free of charge, and

(b) which clearly associates the product with the number of the design.

Section 34 Copyright etc where broadcast retransmitted by cable

(1) In the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 the following are repealed—

(a) sections 73 and 73A (copyright not infringed where broadcast retransmitted by cable);

(b) paragraphs 19 and 19A of Schedule 2 (rights in relation to performance or recording not infringed where broadcast retransmitted by cable).

(2) In consequence the following are repealed or revoked—

(a) in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988—

(i) in section 134, subsection (3A) and, in subsection (1), the words “Subject to subsection (3A)”;

(ii) section 149(za);

(iii) section 205B(1)(cc);

(b) in the Broadcasting Act 1996, section 138 and Schedule 9;

(c) in the Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), regulation 22.

Section 35 Disclosure of information to improve public service delivery

(1) A specified person may disclose information held by the person in connection with any of the person's functions to another specified person for the purposes of an objective which is a specified objective in relation to each of those persons.

(2) In this section “ specified person ” means a person specified, or of a description specified, in Schedule 4.

(2A) Where in Schedule 4 functions are mentioned in relation to a specified person, the reference in subsection (1) to the person’s functions is limited to the person’s functions as mentioned in Schedule 4.

(3) The appropriate national authority may by regulations amend Schedule 4 so as to add, remove or modify an entry relating to a person or description of person.

(4) Regulations under subsection (3) may add an entry relating to a person or a description of person to Schedule 4 only if—

(a) the person is a public authority or (as the case may be) each person of that description is a public authority, or

(b) the person provides services to a public authority or (as the case may be) each person of that description provides services to a public authority.

(5) In the case of a person (“P”) who is a specified person merely because of providing services to a public authority, the reference in subsection (1) to the functions of a specified person is limited to the functions P exercises for that purpose.

(6) In determining whether to make regulations under subsection (3) in relation to a person or description of person the appropriate national authority must have regard, in particular, to—

(a) the systems and procedures for the secure handling of information by that person or persons of that description, and

(b) in the case of regulations which remove a person from Schedule 4 whether that person, or any person providing services to that person, has had regard to the code of practice under section 43 as required by that section.

(7) In this section “ specified objective ”, in relation to a specified person, means an objective specified in relation to that specified person in regulations made by the appropriate national authority.

(8) An objective may be specified by regulations under subsection (7) only if it complies with the following conditions.

(9) The first condition is that the objective has as its purpose—

(a) the improvement or targeting of a public service provided to individuals , households or undertakings , or

(b) the facilitation of the provision of a benefit (whether or not financial) to individuals , households or undertakings .

(10) The second condition is that the objective has as its purpose

(a) the improvement of the well-being of individuals or households , or

(b) the assisting of undertakings in connection with any trade, business or charitable purpose.

(11) The reference in subsection (10) to the well-being of individuals or households includes—

(a) their physical and mental health and emotional well-being,

(b) the contribution made by them to society, and

(c) their social and economic well-being.

(12) The third condition is that the objective has as its purpose the supporting of—

(a) the delivery of a specified person's functions, or

(b) the administration, monitoring or enforcement of a specified person's functions.

(13) In this section “ undertaking ” means—

(a) any person, other than a public authority, carrying on a trade or business, whether or not with a view to profit, or

(b) any body, or the trustees of a trust, established for charitable purposes only.

(14) In this section, in so far as it forms part of the law of Scotland or Northern Ireland, “ charitable purpose ” has the same meaning as it has in the law of England and Wales (see section 2 of the Charities Act 2011).

Section 36 Disclosure of information to gas and electricity suppliers etc

(1) If the first and second conditions are met, a specified person may disclose information held by the person in connection with any of the person's functions to—

(a) a licensed gas supplier, or

(b) a licensed electricity supplier.

(2) The first condition is that the disclosure is for the purpose of assisting people living in fuel poverty by—

(a) reducing their energy costs,

(b) improving efficiency in their use of energy, or

(c) improving their health or financial well-being.

(3) The second condition is that the information is disclosed with the intention that it will be used by the recipient of the information in connection with—

(a) a support scheme under Part 2 of the Energy Act 2010 (schemes for reducing fuel poverty),

(b) in the case of a disclosure to a licensed gas supplier, an obligation imposed by an order under section 33BC or 33BD of the Gas Act 1986 (powers to impose obligations on gas suppliers etc),

(c) in the case of a disclosure to a licensed electricity supplier, an obligation imposed by an order under section 41A or 41B of the Electricity Act 1989 (powers to impose obligations on electricity suppliers etc), ...

(d) the making of grants (by any person) under section 15 of the Social Security Act 1990 in accordance with regulations under that section made by the Scottish Ministers or the Welsh Ministers.

(e) in the case of a disclosure to a licensed gas supplier, a restriction on charges levied on domestic customers by the supplier which is imposed by the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority—

(i) in the exercise of its powers under section 23(1)(b) of the Gas Act 1986 (modification of conditions of licences), and

(ii) for purposes that include assisting people living in fuel poverty by reducing their energy costs, or

(f) in the case of a disclosure to a licensed electricity supplier, a restriction on charges levied on domestic customers by the supplier which is imposed by the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority—

(i) in the exercise of its powers under section 11A(1)(b) of the Electricity Act 1989 (modification of conditions of licences), and

(ii) for purposes that include assisting people living in fuel poverty by reducing their energy costs.

(4) In this section and section 37 “ specified person ” means a person specified, or of a description specified, in Schedule 5.

(5) The appropriate national authority may by regulations—

(a) amend Schedule 5 so as to add, remove or modify an entry relating to a person or description of person;

(b) amend subsection (1) so as to add or remove a person or description of person to whom information may be disclosed;

(c) amend subsection (3) so as to add, modify or remove a reference to a fuel poverty measure.

(6) Regulations under subsection (5)(a) may add an entry relating to a person or a description of person to Schedule 5 only if—

(a) the person is a public authority or (as the case may be) each person of that description is a public authority, or

(b) the person provides services to a public authority or (as the case may be) each person of that description provides services to a public authority.

(7) Regulations under subsection (5)(b) may add a person or a description of person to subsection (1) only if the person or (as the case may be) each person of that description—

(a) provides assistance of a kind mentioned in subsection (2) to people living in fuel poverty,

(b) monitors or enforces the provision of such assistance to such people,

(c) administers a fuel poverty measure, or

(d) provides services to a person within paragraph (a), (b) or (c).

(8) In determining whether to make regulations under subsection (5)(a) or (b) in relation to a person or description of person the appropriate national authority must have regard, in particular, to—

(a) the systems and procedures for the secure handling of information by that person or persons of that description, and

(b) in the case of regulations which remove a person from Schedule 5 or subsection (1), whether that person, or any person providing services to that person, has had regard to the code of practice under section 43 as required by that section.

(9) In the case of a person (“P”) who is a specified person merely because of providing services to a public authority, the reference in subsection (1) to the functions of a specified person is limited to the functions P exercises for that purpose.

(10) For the purposes of this Chapter a person lives in fuel poverty if the person is a member of a household living on a lower income in a home which cannot be kept warm at a reasonable cost.

(11) In this section—

“domestic customer” means a customer supplied with gas or electricity wholly or mainly for domestic purposes;

“ fuel poverty measure ” means—

a scheme, arrangement or set of arrangements, or

a function or set of functions,

which has as its purpose (or one of its purposes) the provision of assistance of a kind mentioned in subsection (2) to people living in fuel poverty;

“ licensed gas supplier ” means the holder of a licence under section 7A(1) of the Gas Act 1986;

“ licensed electricity supplier ” means the holder of a licence under section 6(1)(d) of the Electricity Act 1989.

Section 37 Disclosure of information by gas and electricity suppliers etc

(1) If the condition in subsection (2) is met, a person to whom information may be disclosed under section 36 may disclose information held by that person to a specified person.

(2) That condition is that the disclosure is for the purpose of assisting people living in fuel poverty in England and Wales or Scotland by—

(a) reducing their energy costs,

(b) improving efficiency in their use of energy, or

(c) improving their health or financial well-being.

Section 38 Disclosure of information to water and sewerage undertakers etc

(1) If the first and second conditions are met, a specified person may disclose information held by the person in connection with any of the person's functions to—

(a) a water or sewerage undertaker for an area which is wholly or mainly in England, or

(b) a water or sewerage undertaker for an area which is wholly or mainly in Wales.

(2) The first condition is that the disclosure is for the purpose of assisting eligible people by—

(a) reducing their water or sewerage costs,

(b) improving efficiency in their use of water, or

(c) improving their health or financial well-being.

(3) The second condition is that the information is disclosed with the intention that it will be used by the undertaker in connection with provision in the undertaker's charges scheme under section 143 of the Water Industry Act 1991 which is included in that scheme—

(a) in compliance with regulations under section 143A of that Act which impose requirements within subsection (2)(d) of that section (power for regulations to require charges schemes to make special provision for particular classes of individual), or

(b) by virtue of section 44 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (social tariffs).

(4) In this section and section 39 “ specified person ” means a person specified, or of a description specified, in Schedule 6.

(5) The appropriate national authority may by regulations—

(a) amend Schedule 6 so as to add, remove or modify an entry relating to a person or description of person;

(b) amend subsection (1) so as to add or remove a person or description of person to whom information may be disclosed;

(c) amend subsection (3) so as to add, modify or remove a reference to a water poverty measure.

(6) Regulations under subsection (5)(a) may add an entry relating to a person or a description of person to Schedule 6 only if—

(a) the person is a public authority or (as the case may be) each person of that description is a public authority, or

(b) the person provides services to a public authority or (as the case may be) each person of that description provides services to a public authority.

(7) Regulations under subsection (5)(b) may add a person or a description of person to subsection (1) only if the person or (as the case may be) each person of that description—

(a) provides assistance of a kind mentioned in subsection (2) to people living in water poverty,

(b) monitors or enforces the provision of such assistance to such people,

(c) administers a water poverty measure, or

(d) provides services to a person within paragraph (a), (b) or (c).

(8) In determining whether to make regulations under subsection (5)(a) or (b) in relation to a person or description of person the appropriate national authority must have regard, in particular, to—

(a) the systems and procedures for the secure handling of information by that person or persons of that description, and

(b) in the case of regulations which remove a person from Schedule 6 or subsection (1), whether that person, or any person providing services to that person, has had regard to the code of practice under section 43 as required by that section.

(9) In the case of a person (“P”) who is a specified person merely because of providing services to a public authority, the reference in subsection (1) to the functions of a specified person is limited to the functions P exercises for that purpose.

(9A) A person is “ eligible ” for the purposes of this section and section 39—

(a) if the person is living in water poverty, or

(b) in the application of the sections to a water or sewerage undertaker for an area which is wholly or mainly in England, if the person is among those for whom special provision is required to be made by regulations within subsection (3)(a).

(10) For the purposes of this Chapter a person lives in water poverty if the person is a member of a household living on a lower income in a home which—

(a) cannot be supplied with water at a reasonable cost, or

(b) cannot be supplied with sewerage services at a reasonable cost.

(11) In this section “ water poverty measure ” means—

(a) a scheme, arrangement or set of arrangements, or

(b) a function or set of functions,

which has as its purpose (or one of its purposes) the provision of assistance of a kind mentioned in subsection (2) to people living in water poverty.

Section 39 Disclosure of information by water and sewerage undertakers etc

(1) If the condition in subsection (2) is met, a person to whom information may be disclosed under section 38 may disclose information held by that person to a specified person.

(2) That condition is that the disclosure is for the purpose of assisting eligible people (see section 38(9A)) in England and Wales by—

(a) reducing their water or sewerage costs,

(b) improving efficiency in their use of water, or

(c) improving their health or financial well-being.

Section 40 Further provisions about disclosures under any of sections 35 to 39

(1) Personal information disclosed under any of sections 35 to 39 may only be used by the person to whom it is disclosed for the purposes for which it was disclosed, subject to subsection (2).

(2) Subsection (1) does not prevent the use of information by a person—

(a) if the information has already lawfully been made available to the public,

(b) if the person to whom the information relates consents to its use for another purpose,

(c) for the prevention or detection of crime or the prevention of anti-social behaviour,

(d) for the purposes of a criminal investigation,

(e) for the purposes of legal proceedings (whether civil or criminal), or

(f) for the purposes of—

(i) preventing serious physical harm to a person,

(ii) preventing loss of human life,

(iii) safeguarding vulnerable adults or children,

(iv) responding to an emergency, or

(v) protecting national security.

(3) In subsection (2)(c) “ anti-social behaviour ” means conduct that—

(a) is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person, or

(b) is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person's occupation of residential premises.

(4) Subsection (2) does not apply to information disclosed to a person under section 35, 36 or 38 by the Revenue and Customs; but such information may be used by that person for purposes other than those for which it was disclosed with the consent of the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (which may be general or specific).

(5) For the purposes of this Chapter information is “personal information” if—

(a) it relates to and identifies a particular person (including a body corporate), but

(b) it is not information about the internal administrative arrangements of a specified person or a person to whom information may be disclosed under section 36 or 38.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (5) information identifies a particular person if the identity of that person—

(a) is specified in the information,

(b) can be deduced from the information, or

(c) can be deduced from the information taken together with any other information.

(7) A disclosure under any of sections 35 to 39 does not breach—

(a) any obligation of confidence owed by the person making the disclosure, or

(b) any other restriction on the disclosure of information (however imposed).

(8) But nothing in sections 35 to 39 authorises the making of a disclosure which—

(a) contravenes the data protection legislation , or

(b) is prohibited by any of Parts 1 to 7 or Chapter 1 of Part 9 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

(9) Until the repeal of Part 1 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 by paragraphs 45 and 54 of Schedule 10 to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 is fully in force, subsection (8)(b) has effect as if it included a reference to that Part.

(10) Sections 35 to 39 do not limit the circumstances in which information may be disclosed apart from those sections.

(11) In this section, “ the data protection legislation ” has the same meaning as in the Data Protection Act 2018 (see section 3 of that Act).

Section 41 Confidentiality of personal information

(1) Personal information disclosed under any of sections 35 to 39 and received by a person (“P”) may not be disclosed—

(a) by P, or

(b) by any other person who has received it directly or indirectly from P.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a disclosure—

(a) which is required or permitted by any enactment (including any of sections 35 to 39),

(b) which is required by an EU obligation,

(c) which is made in pursuance of an order of the court,

(d) of information which has already lawfully been made available to the public,

(e) which is made for the prevention or detection of crime or the prevention of anti-social behaviour,

(f) which is made for the purposes of a criminal investigation,

(g) which is made for the purposes of legal proceedings (whether civil or criminal),

(h) which is a protected disclosure for any of the purposes of the Employment Rights Act 1996 or the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 ( SI 1996/1919 ( NI 16)),

(i) consisting of the publication of information for the purposes of journalism, where the publication of the information is in the public interest,

(j) which is made with the consent of the person to whom it relates, or

(k) which is made for the purposes of—

(i) preventing serious physical harm to a person,

(ii) preventing loss of human life,

(iii) safeguarding vulnerable adults or children,

(iv) responding to an emergency, or

(v) protecting national security.

(3) In subsection (2)(e) “ anti-social behaviour ” means conduct that—

(a) is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person, or

(b) is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person's occupation of residential premises.

(4) A person commits an offence if—

(a) the person discloses personal information in contravention of subsection (1), and

(b) at the time that the person makes the disclosure, the person knows that the disclosure contravenes that subsection or is reckless as to whether the disclosure does so.

(5) A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (4) is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine or to both.

(6) A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (4) is liable on summary conviction—

(a) in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court , to a fine or to both;

(b) in Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both;

(c) in Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

(7) In the application of subsection (6)(a) to an offence committed before 2 May 2022 the reference to the general limit in a magistrates’ court is to be read as a reference to 6 months.

(8) This section does not apply to personal information disclosed under section 35, 36 or 38 by the Revenue and Customs.

Section 42 Information disclosed by the Revenue and Customs

(1) Personal information disclosed by the Revenue and Customs under section 35, 36 or 38 and received by a person may not be disclosed by that person.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a disclosure which is made with the consent of the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (which may be general or specific).

(3) A person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence.

(4) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (3) to prove that the person reasonably believed—

(a) that the disclosure was lawful, or

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

(5) Subsections (4) to (7) of section 19 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 apply to an offence under subsection (3) as they apply to an offence under that section.

Section 43 Code of practice

(1) The relevant Minister must issue a code of practice about—

(a) the disclosure of information under any of sections 35 to 39, and

(b) the use of information disclosed under any of those sections.

(2) The code of practice must be consistent with the code of practice prepared under section 121 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (data-sharing code) and issued under section 125(4) of that Act (as altered or replaced from time to time).

(3) A person to whom the code applies must have regard to the code of practice—

(a) in disclosing information under any of sections 35 to 39, and

(b) in using information disclosed under any of those sections.

(4) The relevant Minister may from time to time revise and re-issue the code of practice.

(5) Before issuing or reissuing the code of practice the relevant Minister must consult—

(a) the Information Commissioner,

(b) the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs,

(c) the Scottish Ministers,

(d) the Welsh Ministers,

(e) the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland, and

(f) such other persons as the relevant Minister thinks appropriate.

(6) The fact that this section was not in force when consultation of the kind mentioned in subsection (5) took place is to be disregarded in determining whether there has been compliance with that subsection.

(7) The relevant Minister may not issue the code of practice unless a draft of the code has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.

(8) Before reissuing the code the relevant Minister must lay a draft of the code as proposed to be reissued before Parliament.

(9) The relevant Minister may not reissue the code if, within the 40-day period, either House of Parliament resolves not to approve it.

(10) In subsection (9) “ the 40 day period ” means—

(a) the period of 40 days beginning with the day on which the draft is laid before Parliament, or

(b) if the draft is not laid before each House on the same day, the period of 40 days beginning with the later of the days on which it is laid before Parliament.

(11) For the purposes of subsection (10) no account is to be taken of any period during which Parliament is dissolved or prorogued or during which both Houses are adjourned for more than four days.

(12) As soon as is reasonably practicable after issuing or reissuing the code of practice the relevant Minister must lay, or arrange for the laying of, a copy of it before—

(a) the Scottish Parliament,

(b) the National Assembly for Wales, and

(c) the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(13) In disclosing information under any of sections 35 to 39, a person must have regard to the following codes of practice issued by the Information Commissioner under 124A of the Data Protection Act 2018, so far as they apply to the information in question—

(a) any code which makes provision about the identification and reduction of the risks to privacy of a proposal to disclose information;

(b) any code which makes provision about the information to be provided to data subjects (within the meaning of that Act) about the use to be made of information collected from them.

(14) The duty in subsection (13) does not affect any other requirement for the person to have regard to a code of practice in disclosing the information.

Section 44 Regulations under this Chapter

(1) Any power to make regulations under this Chapter is exercisable—

(a) in the case of regulations made by the relevant Minister or the Welsh Ministers, by statutory instrument, and

(b) in the case of regulations made by the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland, by statutory rule for the purposes of the Statutory Rules (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 (SI 1979/1573 (NI 12)).

(2) Regulations under this Chapter—

(a) may make different provision for different purposes;

(b) may contain consequential, supplementary, transitional or transitory provision or savings.

(3) In the case of—

(a) regulations under section 35(3) which amend Schedule 4 so as to add an entry relating to a person or description of person,

(b) regulations under section 36(5)(a) which amend Schedule 5 so as to add an entry relating to a person or description of person, or

(c) regulations under section 38(5)(a) which amend Schedule 6 so as to add an entry relating to a person or description of person,

this includes power to make provision in relation to information disclosed by that person or a person of that description which is similar to that made by section 42 in relation to information disclosed by the Revenue and Customs.

(4) Before making regulations under this Chapter the appropriate national authority must consult—

(a) the Information Commissioner,

(b) the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs,

(c) each other person who is the appropriate national authority in relation to regulations under this Chapter,

(d) where the appropriate national authority is not the relevant Minister, the relevant Minister , and

(e) such other persons as the appropriate national authority thinks appropriate.

(5) The fact that a power to make regulations under this Chapter was not in force when consultation of the kind mentioned in subsection (4) took place is to be disregarded in determining whether there has been compliance with that subsection.

(6) The appropriate national authority may only make regulations under section 35(7), 36(5)(c) or 38(5)(c) with the consent of the Treasury in a case where the regulations could affect the disclosure of information by the Revenue and Customs.

(7) A statutory instrument containing regulations made under this Chapter by the relevant Minister may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.

(8) Regulations made under this Chapter by the Scottish Ministers are subject to the affirmative procedure.

(9) A statutory instrument containing regulations made under this Chapter by the Welsh Ministers may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the National Assembly for Wales.

(10) Regulations under this Chapter may not be made by the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland unless a draft of the regulations has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(11) If a draft of a statutory instrument containing regulations under section 35(3), 36(5)(a) or (b) or 38(5)(a) or (b) would, apart from this subsection, be treated for the purposes of the standing orders of either House of Parliament as a hybrid instrument, it is to proceed in that House as if it were not such an instrument.

Section 45 Interpretation of this Chapter etc

(1) In this Chapter—

“ the appropriate national authority ” means the relevant Minister , subject to subsections (2) to (7);

“ enactment ” includes—

an enactment contained in, or in an instrument made under, an Act of the Scottish Parliament;

an enactment contained in, or in an instrument made under, a Measure or Act of the National Assembly for Wales;

an enactment contained in, or in an instrument made under, Northern Ireland legislation;

an enactment contained in subordinate legislation within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978;

“ function ” means function of a public nature;

“ personal information ” has the meaning given by section 40(5);

“ public authority ” means a person who exercises functions of a public nature, subject to subsection (8);

“relevant Minister” means the Secretary of State or the Minister for the Cabinet Office;

...

“ the Revenue and Customs ” has the meaning given by section 17(3) of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005.

(2) The Scottish Ministers are the appropriate national authority in relation to—

(a) regulations under section 35(3) or 36(5)(a) which add, modify or remove an entry relating to a person who is, or a description of persons each of whom is, a Scottish body,

(b) regulations under section 36(5)(b) which add or remove a person who is, or a description of persons each of whom is, a Scottish body, and

(c) regulations under section 35(7) or 36(5)(c) which have the effect only of enabling a Scottish body to disclose information for the purposes of an objective which does not relate to a reserved matter (within the meaning of the Scotland Act 1998).

(3) In subsection (2) “ Scottish body ” means—

(a) a person who is a part of the Scottish Administration,

(b) a Scottish public authority with mixed functions or no reserved functions (within the meaning of the Scotland Act 1998), or

(c) a person providing services to a person within paragraph (a) or (b).

(4) The Welsh Ministers are the appropriate national authority in relation to—

(a) regulations under section 35(3), 36(5)(a) or 38(5)(a) which add, modify or remove an entry relating to a person who is, or a description of persons each of whom is, a Welsh body,

(b) regulations under section 36(5)(b) or 38(5)(b) which add or remove a person who is, or a description of persons each of whom is, a Welsh body, and

(c) regulations under section 35(7), 36(5)(c) or 38(5)(c) which have the effect only of enabling a Welsh body to disclose information for the purposes of an objective which could be specified by provision falling within the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales.

(5) In subsection (4) “ Welsh body ” means—

(a) a devolved Welsh authority as defined by section 157A of the Government of Wales Act 2006, or

(b) a person providing services to a devolved Welsh authority as defined by that section.

(6) The Department of Finance in Northern Ireland is the appropriate national authority in relation to—

(a) regulations under section 35(3) which add, modify or remove an entry relating to a person who is, or a description of persons each of whom is, a Northern Ireland body, and

(b) regulations under section 35(7) which have the effect only of enabling a Northern Ireland body to disclose information for the purposes of an objective which relates to a transferred matter (within the meaning of the Northern Ireland Act 1998).

(7) In subsection (6) “ Northern Ireland body ” means—

(a) a Minister within the meaning of the Northern Ireland Act 1998,

(b) a Northern Ireland department,

(c) a Northern Ireland public authority within the meaning of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, or

(d) a person providing services to a person within paragraph (a), (b) or (c).

(8) A person is not a public authority for the purposes of this Chapter if, apart from this subsection, the person would be a public authority for those purposes merely because the person exercises functions on behalf of another public authority.

(9) References in this Chapter to people living in fuel poverty are to be construed in accordance with section 36(10).

(10) References in this Chapter to people living in water poverty are to be construed in accordance with section 38(10).

(11) The power of the Secretary of State in section 69(2) of the Wales Act 2017 to amend an enactment contained in primary legislation in consequence of any provision of that Act includes power to amend this Chapter, and section 118 so far as relating to this Chapter, in consequence of section 48 (water and sewerage) of that Act.

Section 46 Disclosure of information by civil registration officials

(1) The Registration Service Act 1953 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 19A insert—

Disclosure of information

(19AA)

(1) A civil registration official may, subject to this section, disclose any information held in connection with any of the official's functions to—

(a) a specified public authority (see section 19AB), or

(b) any other civil registration official.

(2) A civil registration official may disclose information under this section only if the official is satisfied that the authority or civil registration official to whom it is disclosed (the “recipient”) requires the information to enable the recipient to exercise one or more of the recipient's functions.

(3) A disclosure under this section does not breach any obligation of confidence owed by the civil registration official making the disclosure.

(4) The power to disclose information under this section is subject to any express restriction on disclosure imposed by another enactment (ignoring any restriction which allows disclosure if authorised by an enactment).

(5) This section does not limit the circumstances in which information may be disclosed apart from this section.

(6) “ Civil registration official ” means—

(a) the Registrar General;

(b) a superintendent registrar of births, deaths and marriages;

(c) a registrar of births and deaths;

(d) a registrar of marriages;

(e) each of the following in its capacity as a registration authority within the meaning of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (see section 28 of that Act)—

(i) a county council in England;

(ii) the council of any district in England comprised in an area for which there is no county council;

(iii) a London borough council;

(iv) the Common Council of the City of London;

(v) the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

(vi) a county council in Wales;

(vii) a county borough council in Wales.

Specified public authorities

(19AB)

(1) Each of the following public authorities is a “ specified public authority ” for the purposes of section 19AA—

(a) a Minister of the Crown;

(b) the Welsh Government;

(c) a department of the government of the United Kingdom;

(d) the Greater London Authority;

(e) a county council in England;

(f) a district council in England;

(g) a London borough council;

(h) the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as a local authority;

(i) the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

(j) a county council in Wales;

(k) a county borough council in Wales;

(l) an NHS body within the meaning of the National Health Service Act 2006 (see section 275 of that Act).

(2) The Minister may by regulations amend subsection (1) so as to add, modify or remove a reference to a public authority or description of public authority.

(3) Regulations under this section must be made by statutory instrument.

(4) Regulations under this section may—

(a) make different provision for different purposes;

(b) contain consequential, incidental, supplemental, transitional or transitory provision or savings.

(5) The provision that may be made by virtue of subsection (4)(b) includes provision amending, repealing or revoking any provision of any enactment.

(6) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

(7) In this section—

“ enactment ” includes an enactment contained in subordinate legislation within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978;

“ public authority ” means a person who exercises functions of a public nature.

Code of practice

(19AC)

(1) The Registrar General must issue a code of practice about the disclosure of information under section 19AA.

(2) The code of practice must be consistent with the code of practice issued under section 52B (data-sharing code) of the Data Protection Act 1998 (as altered or replaced from time to time).

(3) A civil registration official must have regard to the code of practice in disclosing information under section 19AA.

(4) The Registrar General may from time to time revise and re-issue the code of practice.

(5) Before issuing or revising the code of practice the Registrar General must consult—

(a) the Minister,

(b) the Information Commissioner, and

(c) such other persons as the Registrar General thinks fit.

(6) The Registrar General may not issue the code of practice unless a draft of the code has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.

(7) Before reissuing the code the Registrar General must lay a draft of the code as proposed to be reissued before Parliament.

(8) The Registrar General may not reissue the code if, within the 40-day period, either House of Parliament resolves not to approve it.

(9) In subsection (8) “ the 40 day period ” means—

(a) the period of 40 days beginning with the day on which the draft is laid before Parliament, or

(b) if the draft is not laid before each House on the same day, the period of 40 days beginning with the later of the days on which it is laid before Parliament.

(10) For the purposes of subsection (9) no account is to be taken of any period during which Parliament is dissolved or prorogued or during which both Houses are adjourned for more than four days.

(11) In disclosing information under section 19AA, a civil registration official must have regard to the following codes of practice issued by the Information Commissioner under section 51(3) of the Data Protection Act 1998, so far as they apply to the information in question—

(a) any code which makes provision about the identification and reduction of the risks to privacy of a proposal to disclose information;

(b) any code which makes provision about the information to be provided to data subjects (within the meaning of that Act) about the use to be made of information collected from them.

(12) The duty in subsection (11) does not affect any other requirement for the civil registration official to have regard to a code of practice in disclosing the information.

(3) In section 19B (fees in respect of provision of copies of records etc)—

(a) after subsection (1) insert—

(1A) The Minister may by regulations provide for fees to be payable to a civil registration official in respect of the disclosure by the official of information under section 19AA.

(b) in subsections (2) and (3), for “The regulations” substitute “ Regulations under this section ” , and

(c) in the heading, omit “in respect of provision of copies of records etc”.

(4) In section 21(1) (interpretation), after “respectively—” insert—

“ civil registration official ” has the meaning given by section 19AA;

Section 47 Consequential provision

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make the provision in subsection (2) in consequence of any provision made by section 46.

(2) The provision mentioned in subsection (1) is provision amending, repealing or revoking any provision of any enactment passed or made before or in the same Session as this Act.

(3) Regulations under this section must be made by statutory instrument.

(4) Regulations under this section may—

(a) make different provision for different purposes;

(b) contain transitional or transitory provision or savings.

(5) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section which amend or repeal an Act may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

(6) A statutory instrument containing any other regulations under this section is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(7) In this section “ enactment ” includes an enactment contained in subordinate legislation within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978.

Section 48 Disclosure of information to reduce debt owed to the public sector

(1) A specified person may disclose information held by the person in connection with any of the person's functions to another specified person for the purposes of the taking of action in connection with debt owed to a public authority or to the Crown.

(2) For the purposes of this section and Schedule 7 debt is owed to a public authority or to the Crown if—

(a) a person is required to pay a sum of money to a public authority or to the Crown, and

(b) all or part of that sum remains unpaid after the date on which, or after the end of the period within which, it is required to be paid.

(3) For the purposes of this section and Schedule 7 taking action in connection with debt owed to a public authority or to the Crown includes—

(a) identifying debt of that kind;

(b) collecting debt of that kind;

(c) bringing civil proceedings as a result of debt of that kind;

(d) taking administrative action as a result of debt of that kind.

(4) In this Chapter “ specified person ” means a person specified, or of a description specified, in Schedule 7.

(4A) Where in Schedule 7 functions are mentioned in relation to a specified person, the reference in subsection (1) to the person’s functions is limited to the person’s functions as mentioned in Schedule 7.

(5) The appropriate national authority may by regulations amend Schedule 7 so as to add, remove or modify an entry relating to a person or description of person.

(6) Regulations under subsection (5) may add an entry relating to a person or a description of person to Schedule 7 only if the following conditions are satisfied.

(7) The first condition is that—

(a) the person is a public authority or (as the case may be) each person of that description is a public authority, or

(b) the person provides services to a public authority or (as the case may be) each person of that description provides services to a public authority.

(8) The second condition is that the person or (as the case may be) a person of that description (“P” in either case)—

(a) requires information from a public authority or a person providing services to a public authority to improve P's ability to identify, manage or recover debt owed to a public authority or to the Crown,

(b) has information which, if shared with a public authority or a person providing services to a public authority, has the potential to improve that authority's or that person's ability to identify, manage or recover such debt, or

(c) has functions relating to the management or recovery of such debt the exercise of which may be improved by the disclosure of information by or to P.

(9) In the case of a person (“P”) who is a specified person merely because of providing services to a public authority, the reference in subsection (1) to the functions of a specified person is limited to the functions P exercises for that purpose.

(10) In determining whether to make regulations under subsection (5) in relation to a person or description of person the appropriate national authority must have regard, in particular, to—

(a) the systems and procedures for the secure handling of information by that person or persons of that description, and

(b) in the case of regulations which remove a person from Schedule 7, whether that person, or any person providing services to that person, has had regard to the code of practice under section 52 as required by that section.

(11) Before making regulations under subsection (5) the appropriate national authority must consult—

(a) the Information Commissioner,

(b) the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs,

(c) each other person who is the appropriate national authority in relation to regulations under subsection (5),

(d) where the appropriate national authority is not the relevant Minister, the relevant Minister , and

(e) such other persons as the appropriate national authority thinks appropriate.

(12) The fact that this section was not in force when consultation of the kind mentioned in subsection (11) took place is to be disregarded in determining whether there has been compliance with that subsection.

Section 49 Further provisions about power in section 48

(1) Personal information disclosed under section 48 may only be used by the person to whom it is disclosed for the purposes for which it was disclosed, subject to subsection (2).

(2) Subsection (1) does not prevent the use of information by a person—

(a) if the information has already lawfully been made available to the public,

(b) if the person to whom the information relates consents to its use for another purpose,

(c) for the prevention or detection of crime or the prevention of anti-social behaviour,

(d) for the purposes of a criminal investigation,

(e) for the purposes of legal proceedings (whether civil or criminal),

(f) for the purposes of safeguarding vulnerable adults or children, or

(g) for the purposes of protecting national security.

(3) In subsection (2)(c) “ anti-social behaviour ” means conduct that—

(a) is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person, or

(b) is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person's occupation of residential premises.

(4) Subsection (2) does not apply to information disclosed to a person under section 48 by the Revenue and Customs; but such information may be used by that person for purposes other than those for which it was disclosed with the consent of the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (which may be general or specific).

(5) For the purposes of this Chapter information is “personal information” if—

(a) it relates to and identifies a particular person (including a body corporate), but

(b) it is not information about the internal administrative arrangements of a specified person.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (5) information identifies a particular person if the identity of that person—

(a) is specified in the information,

(b) can be deduced from the information, or

(c) can be deduced from the information taken together with any other information.

(7) A disclosure under section 48 does not breach—

(a) any obligation of confidence owed by the person making the disclosure, or

(b) any other restriction on the disclosure of information (however imposed).

(8) But nothing in section 48 authorises the making of a disclosure which—

(a) contravenes the data protection legislation , or

(b) is prohibited by any of Parts 1 to 7 or Chapter 1 of Part 9 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

(9) Until the repeal of Part 1 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 by paragraphs 45 and 54 of Schedule 10 to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 is fully in force, subsection (8)(b) has effect as if it included a reference to that Part.

(10) Section 48 does not limit the circumstances in which information may be disclosed apart from that section.

(11) In this section, “ the data protection legislation ” has the same meaning as in the Data Protection Act 2018 (see section 3 of that Act).

Section 50 Confidentiality of personal information

(1) Personal information received by a person (“P”) under section 48 may not be disclosed—

(a) by P, or

(b) by any other person who has received it directly or indirectly from P.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a disclosure—

(a) which is required or permitted by any enactment (including section 48),

(b) which is required by an EU obligation,

(c) which is made in pursuance of an order of the court,

(d) of information which has already lawfully been made available to the public,

(e) which is made for the prevention or detection of crime or the prevention of anti-social behaviour,

(f) which is made for the purposes of a criminal investigation,

(g) which is made for the purposes of legal proceedings (whether civil or criminal),

(h) which is a protected disclosure for any of the purposes of the Employment Rights Act 1996 or the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (SI 1996/1919 (NI 16)),

(i) consisting of the publication of information for the purposes of journalism, where the publication of the information is in the public interest,

(j) which is made with the consent of the person to whom it relates,

(k) which is made for the purposes of safeguarding vulnerable adults or children, or

(l) which is made for the purposes of protecting national security.

(3) In subsection (2)(e) “ anti-social behaviour ” means conduct that—

(a) is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person, or

(b) is capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person's occupation of residential premises.

(4) A person commits an offence if—

(a) the person discloses personal information in contravention of subsection (1), and

(b) at the time that the person makes the disclosure, the person knows that the disclosure contravenes that subsection or is reckless as to whether the disclosure does so.

(5) A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (4) is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine or to both.

(6) A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (4) is liable on summary conviction—

(a) in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court , to a fine or to both;

(b) in Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both;

(c) in Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

(7) In the application of subsection (6)(a) to an offence committed before 2 May 2022 the reference to the general limit in a magistrates’ court is to be read as a reference to 6 months.

(8) This section does not apply to personal information disclosed under section 48 by the Revenue and Customs.