Supplementary provisions with respect to agreements

This amendment would insert a reference to the MMO in clause 21(4) to ensure that Schedule 15 to the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 (restrictions on disclosure of information) applies where the MMO authorises the performance of a function under clause 15 or clause 19(6).

I hope that amendment 21 will be less controversial—famous last words.

Amendment 21 is a technical amendment that makes an additional provision in relation to agreements concluded between the Secretary of State and the MMO, and between the MMO and the eligible bodies, under clauses 14 and 15. Subsection (4) applies schedule 15 to the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 to those bodies exercising functions through an agreement. That schedule relates to the disclosure of information and sets out how confidential information should be handled and the situations where sharing of information between contracting bodies is permitted.

This minor and technical amendment is needed to ensure that schedule 15 to the 1994 Act applies in the way in which we intend. It will ensure that the provisions on disclosure of information will apply where the MMO authorises an eligible body to perform a function under an agreement made under clause 15. It will also ensure that these provisions apply to arrangements made under clause 19(6)(i), where the MMO authorises:

“a committee, sub-committee, member, officer or employee of the body to perform the function on its behalf”

and to arrangements made under clause 19(6)(ii), where the MMO forms

“a body corporate and authorise that body to perform the function”.

I urge members of the Committee to support the amendment.

Amendment 21 agreed to.

Clause 21, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 22 ordered to stand part of the Bill.