Section 326

(1) The Commission may use protected information for communicating with the director in question.

(2) The Commission may disclose protected information-

(a) to a public authority specified for the purposes of this section by regulations made by the Minister; or

(b) to a credit reference agency.

(3) The Minister may make provision by regulations-

(a) specifying conditions for the disclosure of protected information in accordance with this section; and

(b) providing for the charging of fees.

(4) The Minister may make provision by regulations requiring the Commission, on application, to refrain from disclosing protected information relating to a director to a credit reference agency.

(5) Regulations under subsection (4) may make provision as to-

(a) who may make an application;

(b) the grounds on which an application may be made;

(c) the information to be included in and documents to accompany an application; and

(d) how an application is to be determined.

(6) Provision under subsection (5) (d) may in particular-

(a) confer a discretion on the Commission; and

(b) provide for a question to be referred to a person other than the Commission for the purposes of determining the application.

(7) In this section-

(a) "credit reference agency" means a person carrying on a business comprising the furnishing of information relevant to the financial standing of individuals, being information collected by the agency for that purpose; and

(b) "public authority" includes any person or body having functions of a public nature.