§ Lord Harris of Greenwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which public and private agencies are entitled to receive information from the police concerning a person's criminal record; and which are entitled to receive criminal intelligence information.
638WA
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)The police do not release details of criminal records to outside organisations, except where disclosure is clearly in the public interest. On this basis, such information may be released, from time to time, depending on the circumstances of the case, to any of the following organisations:
- Central government departments
- Local authorities
- Foreign governments (under Interpol arrangements)
- Police forces
- Prosecuting authorities
- Courts
- Judges
- Magistrates
- Prison Service
- Probation Service
- Hospitals
- Banks
- Lawyers
- Research organisations
- British Telecom
- British Broadcasting Corporation
- Civil Aviation Authority
- Post Office
- Police Complaints Authority
- General Medical Council and other similar professional organisations
- Official Receiver
- Traffic commissioners
- Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
- Crown Agents
- Crown Estate Commissioners
- National museums and galleries
- Royal Mint
- United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Securities and Investments Board
Criminal intelligence information may, in exceptional circumstances, be disclosed to these organisations along with criminal record information, on the authority of an officer of Assistant Chief Constable rank, or above. The information disclosed would normally be restricted to factual information which the police would be prepared to present as evidence in court, or details of acquittals, or decisions not to prosecute, where the circumstances of the case would give cause for concern.
Personal information held on computerised systems is released to the individual to whom it relates, and who has applied for it, under the subject access provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984.