Section 237Information gateway

(1) A disclosure of information to the Investigatory Powers Commissioner or another Judicial Commissioner for the purposes of any function of the Commissioner does not breach—

(a)
an obligation of confidence owed by the person making the disclosure, or
(b)
any other restriction on the disclosure of information (whether imposed by virtue of this Act or otherwise).

(2) But subsection (1) does not apply to a disclosure, in contravention of any provisions of [^F1the data protection legislation], of personal data which is not exempt from those provisions.

(3) [^F2 In this section, “the data protection legislation” has the same meaning as in the Data Protection Act 2018 (see section 3 of that Act).]

Amended text

This Section is shown as amended by Data Protection Act 2018 (see the annotations below), as incorporated in the text in force on 7 October 2026 as published on legislation.gov.uk.

Annotations

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 237(2) substituted (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 203(2) (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)
F2 S. 237(3) inserted (25.5.2018) by Data Protection Act 2018 (c. 12), s. 212(1), Sch. 19 para. 203(3) (with ss. 117, 209, 210); S.I. 2018/625, reg. 2(1)(g)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 237 in force at 13.2.2017 by S.I. 2017/137, reg. 2(k)

https://ipa.digiphile.law/article/article-237.html

Text as at 7 October 2026.

This is an unofficial convenience version of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. It is presented “as is” without guarantee of accuracy, completeness or reliability. See the source text for the official version. This site was last updated in October 2026.