(1) The Secretary of State must prepare, and keep under review, a code of practice with respect to the disclosure, for the purposes of preventing fraud or a particular kind of fraud, of information by public authorities as members of specified anti-fraud organisations or otherwise in accordance with any arrangements made by such organisations.

(2) Before preparing or altering the code, the Secretary of State must consult -

(a) any specified anti-fraud organisation;

(b) the Information Commissioner; and

(c) such other persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(3) A public authority must have regard to the code in (or in connection with) disclosing information, for the purposes of preventing fraud or a particular kind of fraud, as a member of a specified anti-fraud organisation or otherwise in accordance with any arrangements made by such an organisation.

(4) [deleted]

(5) The Secretary of State must -

(a) lay a copy of the code, and of any alterations to it, before Parliament; and