According to the Information Commissioner's advice the definitive answer is yes.
to quote the IC's "Secondary use of Personal Data held for the Collection and Administration of Council Tax" paper:
Q: Can Council Tax data be disclosed for the purposes of the prevention or detection of crime, or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders?
A: Yes, so far as the DPA 1998 is concerned, but only to the extent that section 29 of the Act applies. Section 29 provides an exemption from the first data protection principle, fair and lawful processing, except to the extent to which it requires compliance with the conditions in schedules 2 and 3. Therefore even if a disclosure was unlawful, if non-disclosure would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders, in making the disclosure the local authority would not be in breach of the Act.
As a prosecuting authority you are entitled to request disclosure through use of the above exemption. Doesn't mean your going to get it though!
regards,
Lewis Bourne
Principal Information Security Officer
I.C.T. Services
-----Original Message-----
From: Fiona Musgrave [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 19 February 2002 08:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: A definitive answer??
Does anyone have the answers to the following??????
Can we use Council Tax and Business Rates information when investigating an
environmental health (or other) criminal offence??
Fiona Musgrave (01228 817258)
IT Team Principal/DP Officer
Carlisle City Council
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