Commissioners and officers

1 The Commissioners

(1) Her Majesty may by Letters Patent appoint Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

(2) The Welsh title of the Commissioners shall be Comisynwyr Cyllid a Thollau Ei Mawrhydi.

(3) A Commissioner—

(a) may resign by notice in writing to the Treasury, and

(b) otherwise, shall hold office in accordance with the terms and conditions of his appointment (which may include provision for dismissal).

(4) In exercising their functions, the Commissioners act on behalf of the Crown.

(5) Service as a Commissioner is service in the civil service of the State.

2 Officers of Revenue and Customs

(1) The Commissioners may appoint staff, to be known as officers of Revenue and Customs.

(2) A person shall hold and vacate office as an officer of Revenue and Customs in accordance with the terms of his appointment (which may include provision for dismissal).

(3) An officer of Revenue and Customs shall comply with directions of the Commissioners (whether he is exercising a function conferred on officers of Revenue and Customs or exercising a function on behalf of the Commissioners).

(4) Anything (including anything in relation to legal proceedings) begun by or in relation to one officer of Revenue and Customs may be continued by or in relation to another.

(5) Appointments under subsection (1) may be made only with the approval of the Minister for the Civil Service as to terms and conditions of service.

(6) Service in the employment of the Commissioners is service in the civil service of the State.

(7) In Schedule 1 to the Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30) (defined expressions) at the appropriate place insert—

““Officer of Revenue and Customs” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005.”

3 Declaration of confidentiality

(1) Each person who is appointed under this Act as a Commissioner or officer of Revenue and Customs shall make a declaration acknowledging his obligation of confidentiality under section 18.

(2) A declaration under subsection (1) shall be made —

(a) as soon as is reasonably practicable following the person’s appointment, and

(b) in such form, and before such a person, as the Commissioners may direct.

(3) For the purposes of this section, the renewal of a fixed term appointment shall not be treated as an appointment.

4 “Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs”

(1) The Commissioners and the officers of Revenue and Customs may together be referred to as Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

(2) The Welsh title of the Commissioners and the officers of Revenue and Customs together shall be Cyllid a Thollau Ei Mawrhydi.

(3) In Schedule 1 to the Interpretation Act 1978 (defined expressions) at the appropriate place insert—

““Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs” has the meaning given by section 4 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005.”

Functions

5 Commissioners' initial functions

(1) The Commissioners shall be responsible for—

(a) the collection and management of revenue for which the Commissioners of Inland Revenue were responsible before the commencement of this section,

(b) the collection and management of revenue for which the Commissioners of Customs and Excise were responsible before the commencement of this section, and

(c) the payment and management of tax credits for which the Commissioners of Inland Revenue were responsible before the commencement of this section.

(2) The Commissioners shall also have all the other functions which before the commencement of this section vested in—

(a) the Commissioners of Inland Revenue (or in a Commissioner), or

(b) the Commissioners of Customs and Excise (or in a Commissioner).

(3) This section is subject to section 35.

(4) In this Act “revenue” includes taxes, duties and national insurance contributions.

6 Officers' initial functions

(1) A function conferred by an enactment (in whatever terms) on any of the persons listed in subsection (2) shall by virtue of this subsection vest in an officer of Revenue and Customs.

(2) Those persons are—

(a) an officer as defined by section 1(1) of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 (c. 2),

(b) a person acting under the authority of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise,

(c) an officer of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise,

(d) a customs officer,

(e) an officer of customs,

(f) a customs and excise officer,

(g) an officer of customs and excise, and

(h) a collector of customs and excise.

(3) This section is subject to sections 7 and 35.

7 Former Inland Revenue matters

(1) This section applies to the matters listed in Schedule 1.

(2) A function conferred by an enactment (in whatever terms) on any of the persons specified in subsection (3) shall by virtue of this subsection vest in an officer of Revenue and Customs—

(a) if or in so far as it relates to a matter to which this section applies, and

(b) in so far as the officer is exercising a function (whether or not by virtue of paragraph (a)) which relates to a matter to which this section applies.

(3) Those persons are—

(a) an officer of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue,

(b) an officer of the Board of Inland Revenue,

(c) an officer of inland revenue,

(d) a collector of Inland Revenue,

(e) an inspector of taxes,

(f) a collector of taxes,

(g) a person authorised to act as an inspector of taxes or collector of taxes for specific purposes,

(h) an officer having powers in relation to tax,

(i) a revenue official,

(j) a person employed in relation to Inland Revenue (or “the Inland Revenue”), and

(k) an Inland Revenue official.

(4) In so far as an officer of Revenue and Customs is exercising a function which relates to a matter to which this section applies, section 6(1) shall not apply.

(5) This section is subject to section 35.

8 Power to transfer functions

(1) After section 5 of the Ministers of the Crown Act 1975 (c. 26) (transfer of functions orders: supplemental) insert—

“5A The Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs

(1) The Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs shall be treated for the purposes of section 1(1)(a) and (c) as if they were a Minister of the Crown.

(2) The officers of Revenue and Customs shall be treated for the purposes of section 1(1)(a) and (c) as if they were a Minister of the Crown.

(3) An Order in Council under this Act may not provide for the transfer of a function specified in section 5(1) of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005.

(4) An Order in Council under section 1 above transferring a function to the Commissioners or to officers of Revenue and Customs—

(a) may restrict or prohibit the exercise of specified powers in relation to that function, and

(b) may provide that the function may be exercised only with the consent of a specified Minister of the Crown.”

(2) For the purposes of sections 63 and 108 of the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46) (transfer of functions)—

(a) the Commissioners shall be treated as a Minister of the Crown, and

(b) the officers of Revenue and Customs shall be treated as a Minister of the Crown.

(3) An Order in Council under section 63 or 108 of that Act—

(a) may not make provision about a function specified in section 5(1) of this Act, and

(b) if it transfers a function to the Commissioners or to officers of Revenue and Customs—

(i) may restrict or prohibit the exercise of specified powers in relation to that function, and

(ii) may provide that the function may be exercised only with the consent of a specified member of the Scottish Executive.

(4) For the purposes of section 22 of and Schedule 3 to the Government of Wales Act 1998 (c. 38) (transfer of functions)—

(a) the Commissioners shall be treated as a Minister of the Crown, and

(b) the officers of Revenue and Customs shall be treated as a Minister of the Crown.

(5) An Order in Council under section 22 of that Act may not make provision about a function specified in section 5(1) of this Act.

9 Ancillary powers

(1) The Commissioners may do anything which they think—

(a) necessary or expedient in connection with the exercise of their functions, or

(b) incidental or conducive to the exercise of their functions.

(2) This section is subject to section 35.

10 The Valuation Office

(1) An officer of Revenue and Customs may provide a valuation of property—

(a) for a purpose relating to the functions of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, or

(b) at the request of any person who appears to the officer to be a public authority, or

(c) at the request of any other person if the officer is satisfied that the valuation is necessary or expedient in connection with—

(i) the exercise of a function of a public nature, or

(ii) the management of money or assets received from a person exercising functions of a public nature.

(2) The Commissioners may charge a fee for the provision of a valuation under subsection (1)(b) or (c).

(3) In this section a reference to providing valuations of property includes a reference to advising about matters appearing to an officer of Revenue and Customs to be connected to the valuation of property.

Exercise of functions

11 Treasury directions

In the exercise of their functions the Commissioners shall comply with any directions of a general nature given to them by the Treasury.

12 Commissioners' arrangements

(1) The Commissioners shall make arrangements for—

(a) the conduct of their proceedings, and

(b) the conduct of the proceedings of any committee established by them.

(2) Arrangements under subsection (1) may, in particular—

(a) make provision for a quorum at meetings;

(b) provide that a function of the Commissioners—

(i) may be exercised by two Commissioners, or

(ii) may be exercised by a specified number of Commissioners (greater than two).

(3) A decision to make arrangements under subsection (1) must be taken with the agreement of more than half of the Commissioners holding office at the time.

13 Exercise of Commissioners' functions by officers

(1) An officer of Revenue and Customs may exercise any function of the Commissioners.

(2) But subsection (1)—

(a) does not apply to the functions specified in subsection (3), and

(b) is subject to directions under section 2(3) and arrangements under section 12.

(3) The non-delegable functions mentioned in subsection (2)(a) are—

(a) making, by statutory instrument, regulations, rules or an order,

(b) approving an application for a warrant to search premises under section 20C of the Taxes Management Act 1970 (c. 9),

(c) approving an application for a warrant to enter premises under Part 7 of Schedule 13 to the Finance Act 2003 (c. 14), and

(d) giving instructions for the disclosure of information under section 20(1)(a), except that an officer of Revenue and Customs may give an instruction under section 20(1)(a) authorising disclosure of specified information relating to—

(i) one or more specified persons,

(ii) one or more specified transactions, or

(iii) specified goods.

14 Delegation

(1) Arrangements under section 12 may, in particular, enable the Commissioners, or a number of Commissioners acting in accordance with arrangements by virtue of section 12(2)(b), to delegate a function of the Commissioners, other than a function specified in subsection (2) below—

(a) to a single Commissioner,

(b) to a committee established by the Commissioners (which may include persons who are neither Commissioners nor staff of the Commissioners nor officers of Revenue and Customs), or

(c) to any other person.

(2) The non-delegable functions mentioned in subsection (1) are—

(a) making, by statutory instrument, regulations, rules or an order,

(b) approving an application for a warrant to search premises under section 20C of the Taxes Management Act 1970 (c. 9), and

(c) approving an application for a warrant to enter premises under Part 7 of Schedule 13 to the Finance Act 2003 (c. 14).

(3) The Commissioners may not delegate the function under section 20(1)(a) except to a single Commissioner.

(4) The delegation of a function by virtue of subsection (1) by the Commissioners or a number of Commissioners—

(a) shall not prevent the exercise of the function by the Commissioners or those Commissioners, and

(b) shall not, subject to express provision to the contrary in directions under section 2(3) or arrangements under section 12, prevent the exercise of the function by an officer of Revenue and Customs.

(5) Where the Commissioners or a number of Commissioners delegate a function to a person by virtue of subsection (1)(c)—

(a) the Commissioners or those Commissioners shall monitor the exercise of the function by that person, and

(b) in the exercise of the function the delegate shall comply with any directions of the Commissioners or of those Commissioners.

15 Agency: Scotland and Northern Ireland

(1) For the purposes of section 93 of the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46) (agency)—

(a) the Commissioners shall be treated as a Minister of the Crown, and

(b) the officers of Revenue and Customs shall be treated as a Minister of the Crown.

(2) For the purposes of section 28 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47) (agency)—

(a) the Commissioners shall be treated as a Minister of the Crown, and

(b) the officers of Revenue and Customs shall be treated as a Minister of the Crown.

16 Restrictions, &c.

Part 1 of Schedule 2 (which restricts, or makes other provision in connection with, the exercise of certain functions) shall have effect.

Information

17 Use of information

(1) Information acquired by the Revenue and Customs in connection with a function may be used by them in connection with any other function.

(2) Subsection (1) is subject to any provision which restricts or prohibits the use of information and which is contained in—

(a) this Act,

(b) any other enactment, or

(c) an international or other agreement to which the United Kingdom or Her Majesty’s Government is party.

(3) In subsection (1) “the Revenue and Customs” means—

(a) the Commissioners,

(b) an officer of Revenue and Customs,

(c) a person acting on behalf of the Commissioners or an officer of Revenue and Customs,

(d) a committee established by the Commissioners,

(e) a member of a committee established by the Commissioners,

(f) the Commissioners of Inland Revenue (or any committee or staff of theirs or anyone acting on their behalf),

(g) the Commissioners of Customs and Excise (or any committee or staff of theirs or anyone acting on their behalf), and

(h) a person specified in section 6(2) or 7(3).

(4) In subsection (1) “function” means a function of any of the persons listed in subsection (3).

(5) In subsection (2) the reference to an enactment does not include—

(a) an Act of the Scottish Parliament or an instrument made under such an Act, or

(b) an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly or an instrument made under such an Act.

(6) Part 2 of Schedule 2 (which makes provision about the supply and other use of information in specified circumstances) shall have effect.

18 Confidentiality

(1) Revenue and Customs officials may not disclose information which is held by the Revenue and Customs in connection with a function of the Revenue and Customs.

(2) But subsection (1) does not apply to a disclosure—

(a) which—

(i) is made for the purposes of a function of the Revenue and Customs, and

(ii) does not contravene any restriction imposed by the Commissioners,

(b) which is made in accordance with section 20 or 21,

(c) which is made for the purposes of civil proceedings (whether or not within the United Kingdom) relating to a matter in respect of which the Revenue and Customs have functions,

(d) which is made for the purposes of a criminal investigation or criminal proceedings (whether or not within the United Kingdom) relating to a matter in respect of which the Revenue and Customs have functions,

(e) which is made in pursuance of an order of a court,

(f) which is made to Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary, the Scottish inspectors or the Northern Ireland inspectors for the purpose of an inspection by virtue of section 27,

(g) which is made to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, or a person acting on its behalf, for the purpose of the exercise of a function by virtue of section 28, or

(h) which is made with the consent of each person to whom the information relates.

(3) Subsection (1) is subject to any other enactment permitting disclosure.

(4) In this section—

(a) a reference to Revenue and Customs officials is a reference to any person who is or was—

(i) a Commissioner,

(ii) an officer of Revenue and Customs,

(iii) a person acting on behalf of the Commissioners or an officer of Revenue and Customs, or

(iv) a member of a committee established by the Commissioners,

(b) a reference to the Revenue and Customs has the same meaning as in section 17,

(c) a reference to a function of the Revenue and Customs is a reference to a function of—

(i) the Commissioners, or

(ii) an officer of Revenue and Customs,

(d) a reference to the Scottish inspectors or the Northern Ireland inspectors has the same meaning as in section 27, and

(e) a reference to an enactment does not include—

(i) an Act of the Scottish Parliament or an instrument made under such an Act, or

(ii) an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly or an instrument made under such an Act.

19 Wrongful disclosure

(1) A person commits an offence if he contravenes section 18(1) or 20(9) by disclosing revenue and customs information relating to a person whose identity—

(a) is specified in the disclosure, or

(b) can be deduced from it.

(2) In subsection (1) “revenue and customs information relating to a person” means information about, acquired as a result of, or held in connection with the exercise of a function of the Revenue and Customs (within the meaning given by section 18(4)(c)) in respect of the person; but it does not include information about internal administrative arrangements of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (whether relating to Commissioners, officers or others).

(3) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section of disclosing information to prove that he reasonably believed—

(a) that the disclosure was lawful, or

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

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine or to both, or

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

(5) A prosecution for an offence under this section may be instituted in England and Wales only—

(a) by the Director of Revenue and Customs Prosecutions, or

(b) with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

(6) A prosecution for an offence under this section may be instituted in Northern Ireland only—

(a) by the Commissioners, or

(b) with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.

(7) In the application of this section to Scotland or Northern Ireland the reference in subsection (4)(b) to 12 months shall be taken as a reference to six months.

(8) This section is without prejudice to the pursuit of any remedy or the taking of any action in relation to a contravention of section 18(1) or 20(9) (whether or not this section applies to the contravention).

20 Public interest disclosure

(1) Disclosure is in accordance with this section (as mentioned in section 18(2)(b)) if—

(a) it is made on the instructions of the Commissioners (which may be general or specific),

(b) it is of a kind—

(i) to which any of subsections (2) to (7) applies, or

(ii) specified in regulations made by the Treasury, and

(c) the Commissioners are satisfied that it is in the public interest.

(2) This subsection applies to a disclosure made—

(a) to a person exercising public functions (whether or not within the United Kingdom),

(b) for the purposes of the prevention or detection of crime, and

(c) in order to comply with an obligation of the United Kingdom, or Her Majesty’s Government, under an international or other agreement relating to the movement of persons, goods or services.

(3) This subsection applies to a disclosure if—

(a) it is made to a body which has responsibility for the regulation of a profession,

(b) it relates to misconduct on the part of a member of the profession, and

(c) the misconduct relates to a function of the Revenue and Customs.

(4) This subsection applies to a disclosure if—

(a) it is made to a constable, and

(b) either—

(i) the constable is exercising functions which relate to the movement of persons or goods into or out of the United Kingdom, or

(ii) the disclosure is made for the purposes of the prevention or detection of crime.

(5) This subsection applies to a disclosure if it is made—

(a) to the National Criminal Intelligence Service, and

(b) for a purpose connected with its functions under section 2(2) of the Police Act 1997 (c. 50) (criminal intelligence).

(6) This subsection applies to a disclosure if it is made—

(a) to a person exercising public functions in relation to public safety or public health, and

(b) for the purposes of those functions.

(7) This subsection applies to a disclosure if it—

(a) is made to the Police Information Technology Organisation for the purpose of enabling information to be entered in a computerised database, and

(b) relates to—

(i) a person suspected of an offence,

(ii) a person arrested for an offence,

(iii) the results of an investigation, or

(iv) anything seized.

(8) Regulations under subsection (1)(b)(ii)—

(a) may specify a kind of disclosure only if the Treasury are satisfied that it relates to—

(i) national security,

(ii) public safety,

(iii) public health, or

(iv) the prevention or detection of crime;

(b) may make provision limiting or restricting the disclosures that may be made in reliance on the regulations; and that provision may, in particular, operate by reference to—

(i) the nature of information,

(ii) the person or class of person to whom the disclosure is made,

(iii) the person or class of person by whom the disclosure is made,

(iv) any other factor, or

(v) a combination of factors;

(c) shall be made by statutory instrument;

(d) may not be made unless a draft has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.

(9) Information disclosed in reliance on this section may not be further disclosed without the consent of the Commissioners (which may be general or specific); (but the Commissioners shall be taken to have consented to further disclosure by use of the computerised database of information disclosed by virtue of subsection (7)).

21 Disclosure to prosecuting authority

(1) Disclosure is in accordance with this section (as mentioned in section 18(2)(b)) if made—

(a) to a prosecuting authority, and

(b) for the purpose of enabling the authority—

(i) to consider whether to institute criminal proceedings in respect of a matter considered in the course of an investigation conducted by or on behalf of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, or

(ii) to give advice in connection with a criminal investigation (within the meaning of section 35(5)(b)) or criminal proceedings.

(2) In subsection (1) “prosecuting authority” means—

(a) the Director of Revenue and Customs Prosecutions,

(b) in Scotland, the Lord Advocate or a procurator fiscal, and

(c) in Northern Ireland, the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.

(3) Information disclosed to a prosecuting authority in accordance with this section may not be further disclosed except—

(a) for a purpose connected with the exercise of the prosecuting authority’s functions, or

(b) with the consent of the Commissioners (which may be general or specific).

(4) A person commits an offence if he contravenes subsection (3).

(5) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he reasonably believed—

(a) that the disclosure was lawful, or

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

(6) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine or to both, or

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

(7) A prosecution for an offence under this section may be instituted in England and Wales only—

(a) by the Director of Revenue and Customs Prosecutions, or

(b) with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

(8) A prosecution for an offence under this section may be instituted in Northern Ireland only—

(a) by the Commissioners, or

(b) with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.

(9) In the application of this section to Scotland or Northern Ireland the reference in subsection (6)(b) to 12 months shall be taken as a reference to six months.

22 Data protection, &c.

Nothing in sections 17 to 21 authorises the making of a disclosure which—

(a) contravenes the Data Protection Act 1998 (c. 29), or

(b) is prohibited by Part 1 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (c. 23).

23 Freedom of information

(1) Revenue and customs information relating to a person, the disclosure of which is prohibited by section 18(1), is exempt information by virtue of section 44(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (c. 36) (prohibitions on disclosure) if its disclosure—

(a) would specify the identity of the person to whom the information relates, or

(b) would enable the identity of such a person to be deduced.

(2) Except as specified in subsection (1), information the disclosure of which is prohibited by section 18(1) is not exempt information for the purposes of section 44(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

(3) In subsection (1) “revenue and customs information relating to a person” has the same meaning as in section 19.

Proceedings

24 Evidence

(1) A document that purports to have been issued or signed by or with the authority of the Commissioners—

(a) shall be treated as having been so issued or signed unless the contrary is proved, and

(b) shall be admissible in any legal proceedings.

(2) A document that purports to have been issued by the Commissioners and which certifies any of the matters specified in subsection (3) shall (in addition to the matters provided for by subsection (1)(a) and (b)) be treated as accurate unless the contrary is proved.

(3) The matters mentioned in subsection (2) are—

(a) that a specified person was appointed as a commissioner on a specified date,

(b) that a specified person was appointed as an officer of Revenue and Customs on a specified date,

(c) that at a specified time or for a specified purpose (or both) a function was delegated to a specified Commissioner,

(d) that at a specified time or for a specified purpose (or both) a function was delegated to a specified committee, and

(e) that at a specified time or for a specified purpose (or both) a function was delegated to another specified person.

(4) A photographic or other copy of a document acquired by the Commissioners shall, if certified by them to be an accurate copy, be admissible in any legal proceedings to the same extent as the document itself.

(5) Section 2 of the Documentary Evidence Act 1868 (c. 37) (proof of documents) shall apply to a Revenue and Customs document as it applies in relation to the documents mentioned in that section.

(6) In the application of that section to a Revenue and Customs document the Schedule to that Act shall be treated as if—

(a) the first column contained a reference to the Commissioners, and

(b) the second column contained a reference to a Commissioner or a person acting on his authority.

(7) In this section—

(a) “Revenue and Customs document” means a document issued by or on behalf of the Commissioners, and

(b) a reference to the Commissioners includes a reference to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue and to the Commissioners of Customs and Excise.

25 Conduct of civil proceedings

(1) An officer of Revenue and Customs or a person authorised by the Commissioners may conduct civil proceedings, in a magistrates' court or in the sheriff court, relating to a function of the Revenue and Customs.

(2) A solicitor member of the Commissioners' staff may act as a solicitor in connection with civil proceedings relating to a function of the Revenue and Customs.

(3) A legally qualified member of the Commissioners' staff may conduct county court proceedings relating to a matter specified in section 7.

(4) A court shall grant any rights of audience necessary to enable a person to exercise a function under this section.

(5) In this section—

(a) a reference to a function of the Revenue and Customs is a reference to a function of—

(i) the Commissioners, or

(ii) an officer of Revenue and Customs,

(b) a reference to civil proceedings is a reference to proceedings other than proceedings in respect of an offence,

(c) a reference to county court proceedings is a reference to civil proceedings in a county court,

(d) the reference to a legally qualified member of the Commissioners' staff is a reference to a member of staff who has been admitted as a solicitor, or called to the Bar, whether or not he holds a practising certificate, and

(e) the reference to a solicitor member of the Commissioners' staff—

(i) except in relation to Scotland, is a reference to a member of staff who has been admitted as a solicitor, whether or not he holds a practising certificate,

(ii) in relation to Scotland, is a reference to a member of staff who has been admitted as a solicitor and who holds a practising certificate.

26 Rewards

The Commissioners may pay a reward to a person in return for a service which relates to a function of—

(a) the Commissioners, or

(b) an officer of Revenue and Customs.

Inspection and complaints

27 Inspection

(1) The Treasury may make regulations conferring functions on Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary, the Scottish inspectors or the Northern Ireland inspectors in relation to—

(a) the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, and

(b) officers of Revenue and Customs.

(2) Regulations under subsection (1)—

(a) may —

(i) in relation to Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary, apply (with or without modification) or make provision similar to any provision of sections 54 to 56 of the Police Act 1996 (c. 16) (inspection);

(ii) in relation to the Scottish inspectors, apply (with or without modification) or make provision similar to any provision of section 33 or 34 of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967 (c. 77) (inspection);

(iii) in relation to the Northern Ireland inspectors, apply (with or without modification) or make provision similar to any provision of section 41 or 42 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 (c. 32) (inspection);

(b) may enable a Minister of the Crown or the Commissioners to require an inspection to be carried out;

(c) shall provide for a report of an inspection to be made and, subject to any exceptions required or permitted by the regulations, published;

(d) shall provide for an annual report by Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary;

(e) may make provision for payment by the Commissioners to or in respect of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary, the Scottish inspectors or the Northern Ireland inspectors.

(3) An inspection carried out by virtue of this section may not address a matter of a kind which the Comptroller and Auditor General may examine under section 6 of the National Audit Act 1983 (c. 44).

(4) An inspection carried out by virtue of this section shall be carried out jointly by Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary and the Scottish inspectors—

(a) if it is carried out wholly in Scotland, or

(b) in a case where it is carried out partly in Scotland, to the extent that it is carried out there.

(5) Regulations under subsection (1)—

(a) shall be made by statutory instrument, and

(b) shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(6) In this section—

(a) “the Scottish inspectors” means the inspectors of constabulary appointed under section 33(1) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967, and

(b) “the Northern Ireland inspectors” means the inspectors of constabulary appointed under section 41(1) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998.

28 Complaints and misconduct: England and Wales

(1) The Treasury may make regulations conferring functions on the Independent Police Complaints Commission in relation to—

(a) the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, and

(b) officers of Revenue and Customs.

(2) Regulations under subsection (1)—

(a) may apply (with or without modification) or make provision similar to any provision of or made under Part 2 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30) (complaints);

(b) may confer on the Independent Police Complaints Commission, or on a person acting on its behalf, a power of a kind conferred by this Act or another enactment on an officer of Revenue and Customs;

(c) may make provision for payment by the Commissioners to or in respect of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

(3) The Independent Police Complaints Commission and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration may disclose information to each other for the purposes of the exercise of a function—

(a) by virtue of this section, or

(b) under the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (c. 13).

(4) The Independent Police Complaints Commission and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration may jointly investigate a matter in relation to which—

(a) the Independent Police Complaints Commission has functions by virtue of this section, and

(b) the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration has functions by virtue of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967.

(5) Regulations under subsection (1)—

(a) shall be made by statutory instrument, and

(b) shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(6) Regulations under subsection (1) shall relate to the Commissioners or officers of Revenue and Customs only in so far as their functions are exercised in or in relation to England and Wales.

29 Confidentiality, &c.

(1) Where Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Constabulary, the Scottish inspectors or the Northern Ireland inspectors obtain information in the course of exercising a function by virtue of section 27—

(a) they may not disclose it without the consent of the Commissioners, and

(b) they may not use it for any purpose other than the exercise of the function by virtue of section 27.

(2) A report of an inspection by virtue of section 27 may not include information relating to a specified person without his consent.

(3) Where the Independent Police Complaints Commission or a person acting on its behalf obtains information from the Commissioners or an officer of Revenue and Customs, or from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, in the course of exercising a function by virtue of section 28—

(a) the Commission or person shall comply with any restriction on disclosure imposed by regulations under that section (and those regulations may, in particular, prohibit disclosure generally or only in specified circumstances or only without the consent of the Commissioners), and

(b) the Commission or person may not use the information for any purpose other than the exercise of the function by virtue of that section.

(4) A person commits an offence if he contravenes a provision of this section.

(5) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section of disclosing or using information to prove that he reasonably believed—

(a) that the disclosure or use was lawful, or

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

(6) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine or to both, or

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

(7) A prosecution for an offence under this section may be instituted in England and Wales only—

(a) by the Director of Revenue and Customs Prosecutions, or

(b) with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

(8) A prosecution for an offence under this section may be instituted in Northern Ireland only—

(a) by the Commissioners, or

(b) with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.

(9) In the application of this section to Scotland or Northern Ireland the reference in subsection (6)(b) to 12 months shall be taken as a reference to six months.

(10) In this section a reference to the Scottish inspectors or the Northern Ireland inspectors has the same meaning as in section 27.

Offences

30 Impersonation

(1) A person commits an offence if he pretends to be a Commissioner or an officer of Revenue and Customs with a view to obtaining—

(a) ad