Territorial Extent and Territorial Application Northern Ireland Other functions of the Council Section 28: Exemptions from requirements to provide information
77.Section 28 enables the Secretary of State to prescribe exemptions from the requirements to provide information to the Council by virtue of section 24. The power to prescribe exemptions also applies to the Council’s duty under section 27 to provide information on request to the OFT, designated regulators, and persons specified by the Secretary of State by order.
78.Subsection (2) means that no person may be required under section 24 or 27, or under a court order under section 26, to provide any information or document which he could not be compelled to provide in legal proceedings. This is to ensure that the information gathering powers under the Act do not apply to information that is subject to legal professional privilege.