Schedule 3: The Office for Environmental Protection: Northern Ireland Part 1: The OEP’s Northern Ireland functions Disclosures to the OEP
Paragraph 16 deals with the circumstances in which a person must – and when they are not obliged – to provide information to the OEP.
	Sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph sets out that no obligation of secrecy, whether set out in legislation or not, prevents someone from providing the OEP with information. This sub-paragraph applies if the information is in connection with an investigation (under the powers set out in paragraph 7), an information notice or decision notice or when complying with a request for information in response to an information notice (in accordance with paragraph 9(3)(b)).
	Sub-paragraph (2) qualifies sub-paragraph (1), by providing a public authority with an exemption from the requirement to provide information if it would be entitled or required to withhold that information in legal proceedings on the grounds of either legal professional privilege or public interest immunity.
	Sub-paragraph (3) provides that no obligation of secrecy, statutory or otherwise, restricts the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman from providing information to the OEP, if this is done for purposes (a) connected with the exercise of the OEP’s functions under paragraph 7, or (b) connected with the co-ordination of the OEP’s functions where they relate to investigations under paragraph 7 and the Ombudsman’s functions that relate to investigations by the Ombudsman.
	Sub-paragraph (4) confirms that nothing in this Part of the Schedule requires or authorises any disclosure of information which would contravene the data protection legislation, even if the disclosure would be in accordance with the provisions in this Part of the Schedule.
	Sub-paragraph (5) defines the meaning of the phrase "the data protection legislation" for the purposes of this paragraph and is self-explanatory.