Part 1Legal aid

Supplementary

34Restriction on disclosure of other information

1

This section applies to information that is provided—

a

to the Lord Chancellor, the Director, a court, a tribunal or any other person on whom functions are imposed or conferred by or under this Part, and

b

in connection with the case of an individual seeking or receiving services provided under arrangements made for the purposes of this Part.

2

Such information must not be disclosed, subject to the exceptions in section 35.

3

A person who discloses information in contravention of this section is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.

4

It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that the person reasonably believed that the disclosure was lawful.

5

Proceedings for an offence under this section may not be brought without the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

6

Nothing in this section applies to information if—

a

it is provided to a person providing services under arrangements made for the purposes of this Part, and

b

it is provided by or on behalf of an individual seeking or receiving the services.

7

Nothing in this section applies to information to which section 33 applies.