Taxes Management Act 1970 Schedule 4 paragraph 1

Declaration of secrecy

Schedule 4, paragraph 1 deals with transitional provisions preserving the validity of secrecy declarations made by tax officials under earlier legislation, ensuring continuity of confidentiality obligations.

• Persons who made a secrecy declaration before 10 July 1964 under earlier approved forms are not required to make a fresh declaration under the 1970 Act.
• Commissioners and other officials who made declarations under older forms before the Finance Act 1965 changes are still bound by the same secrecy obligations in respect of the newer taxes introduced by that Act.
• Any declaration of secrecy validly made before the 1970 Act came into force continues to have full legal effect despite the repeal of the earlier legislation.
• The overall purpose is to ensure there are no gaps in the confidentiality obligations of tax officials during the transition between successive pieces of tax legislation.