Page 259 - Law and the Media

Law and the Media
International relations
Section 27 of the FIA exempts information if disclosure could prejudice relations between
the United Kingdom and any other state, international organization or international court, the
interests of the United Kingdom abroad or the promotion or protection by the United
Kingdom of those interests. This section exempts confidential information (as defined by
Section 27(3) of the FIA) obtained from a state or international organization or international
court.

Relations within the United Kingdom
Section 28 of the FIA excludes information that could prejudice relations between any two
administrations in the United Kingdom. An ‘administration’ is defined in Section 28(2) of the
FIA as the government of the United Kingdom, the Scottish administration, the Executive
Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly, or the National Assembly for Wales.

The economy
Section 29 of the FIA exempts information that, if disclosed, could prejudice the economic
interests of the United Kingdom or the financial interests of any administration in the United
Kingdom.

Investigations and proceedings conducted by public authorities
Section 30 of the FIA excludes information held by a public authority for the purposes of a
criminal investigation or criminal proceedings conducted by it. This section also exempts
information relating to the obtaining of information from confidential sources, in other words
informers, if it was obtained or recorded in the context of criminal investigations and
proceedings, as well as the investigations in Section 31 of the FIA relating to law
enforcement and civil proceedings that arise from such investigations.

Law enforcement
Section 31 of the FIA exempts the following:

1. Information that, if disclosed, could prejudice specified law enforcement matters
2. Information that could prejudice investigations or proceedings by a public authority that
may lead to a prosecution, or civil proceedings brought by a public authority arising out
of such investigations or proceedings:
Investigations into circumstances justifying regulatory action under any
enactment
Regulatory investigations relating to unfitness or incompetence of company
directors
Investigation of persons in regulated professions or involved in activities that
require a licence
Investigations into accidents
Action relating to charity management
Action relating to health and safety.
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