Television Licences (Disclosure of Information) Act 2000 Disclosure of information. 1 1 The Secretary of State and the Northern Ireland department may, at the request of the BBC , supply the BBC with social security information. 2 For the purposes of subsection (1), the BBC includes any person providing the BBC with services in connection with television licences. 3 In relation to the Secretary of State, “ social security information ” means information of a prescribed description held by him (or on his behalf) and obtained as a result, or for the purpose, of the exercise of functions of his in relation to social security or war pensions. 4 In relation to the Northern Ireland department, “ social security information ” means information of a prescribed description held by the department (or on its behalf) and obtained as a result, or for the purpose, of the exercise of functions of the department in relation to social security. Use to which information may be put. 2 1 Information provided under section 1 may be used only in connection with television licences for which no fee is payable or reduced-fee licences. 2 “ Reduced-fee licences ” means television licences— a for which a reduced fee is payable; and b which fall within a prescribed category. Offences. 3 1 A person to whom information is supplied under section 1 (“a recipient”) is guilty of an offence if, without lawful authority, he discloses that information. 2 A person who is or has been employed by a recipient, or engaged in the provision of services to a recipient, is guilty of an offence if, without lawful authority, he discloses information supplied to the recipient under section 1. 3 It is not an offence under this section— a to disclose information in the form of a summary or collection of information so framed as not to enable information supplied under section 1 relating to any particular person to be ascertained from it; or b to disclose information which has previously been disclosed to the public with lawful authority. 4 It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that at the time of the alleged offence he believed— a that he was making the disclosure in question with lawful authority, or b that the information in question had previously been disclosed to the public with lawful authority, and he had no reasonable cause to believe otherwise. 5 For the purposes of this section, a disclosure is to be regarded as made with lawful authority if, but only if, it is made— a by a person exercising functions in relation to television licences and using the information in a way permitted by section 2; b in accordance with any enactment or order of a court; c for the purpose of instituting, or otherwise for the purposes of, proceedings before a court; or d with the consent of the person to whom the information relates or of any person authorised to act on that person’s behalf. 6 A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable— a on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both; or b on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine or both. Liability of directors etc. 4 1 If an offence under section 3 committed by a body corporate is shown— a to have been committed with the consent or connivance of an officer, or b to be attributable to any neglect on his part, the officer as well as the body corporate is guilty of the offence and liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly. 2 If the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, subsection (1) applies in relation to the acts and defaults of a member in connection with his functions of management as if he were a director of the body. 3 “ Officer ”, in relation to a body corporate, means a director, member of the committee of management, chief executive, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body, or a person purporting to act in any such capacity. Interpretation. 5 In this Act— “ the BBC ” means the British Broadcasting Corporation; “ the Northern Ireland department ” means the Department for Social Development; “ prescribed ” means prescribed by order made by the Secretary of State; “ television licence ” means a licence for the purposes of section 363 of the Communications Act 2003; “ war pensions ” has the same meaning as in section 25 of the Social Security Act 1989. Orders. 6 1 An order under this Act must be made by statutory instrument. 2 Such an instrument shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament. 3 An order may make different provision in relation to different cases. Short title and extent. 7 1 This Act may be cited as the Television Licences (Disclosure of Information) Act 2000. 2 This Act extends to Northern Ireland.