(1) An individual who is or at any time was -

(a) an employee of a relevant company,

(b) a member of -

(i) the special negotiating body, or

(ii) the representative body,

(c) an employees' representative for the purposes of these Regulations, or

(d) an expert providing assistance,

shall not reveal any information which, in the legitimate interest of any relevant company, has been expressly provided in confidence to him or her or to the body by a relevant company.

(2) The duty of confidentiality imposed by paragraph (1) continues to apply after the cessation of the employment of the individual concerned or the expiry of his or her term of office.

(3) A relevant company may refuse to communicate information to a special negotiating body where the nature of that information is such that, by reference to objective criteria, it would -