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Official secrets and breach of confidence

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References

  1. See C. Ponting,The Right to Know, Sphere, 1985; N. Norton-Taylor,The Ponting Affair, C. Woolf, 1985, and [1985]Crim.L.R. 318.

  2. (1948) 1 Mac. & G. 25, 41 E.R. 1171.

  3. [1967] 1 Ch. 302.

  4. [1988] 2 W.L.R. 1280.

  5. [1976] Q.B. 752.

  6. [1977] 1 W.L.R. 760, on which see R.G. Hammond, “Superstuds and Confidence”, [1977]N.Z.L.J. 464.

  7. (1976) 416 U.S. 470, 481–3 (U.S. Supreme Court).

  8. [1983] F.S.R. 213, 253, which was approved by O'Higgins J. at [1985] F.S.R. 327, in the Supreme Court.

  9. [1969] R.P.C. 41, 49.

  10. Abernethy v.Hutchinson (1925) 1 H & Tw. 28, 39–40 E.R. 1313, 1317.

  11. Introduction to the Law of Restitution, Oxford University Press, 1985, 343.

  12. See, e.g.,Exchange Telegraph Co. Ltd. v.Gregory [1896] 1 Q.B. 147.

  13. [1973] R.P.C. 627, 649.

  14. Arguably the disclosure of a cancer or Aids-defeating drug formula would be in the public interest.

  15. Supra n.5.

  16. As he said, and as the White Paper (§ 59) states, offences may be committed altruistically but they remain crimes.

  17. And see further G. Hogan, “Free Speech, Privacy and the Press in Ireland”, [1987]P.L. 509.

  18. A. May and K. Rowan, eds.,Inside Information, Constable, 1982.

  19. [1987] Q.B. 862, (1988) 86 Cr. App. R. 85.

  20. Ibid. at 90.

  21. [1967] R.P.C. 149

  22. [1977] R.P.C. 137.

  23. [1921] 1 K.B. 451.

  24. (1919) 83 J.P. 121.

  25. This is the basis of the notion that a Civil Servant can be prosecuted for revealing how many cups of tea were consumed per week in a certain Department, See Sir Lionel Heald. Q.C.,The Times, 20th March 1970, but cf. G. Robertson and A.G.L. Nicol,Media Law, Oyez Longman & Sage, 1984, 266–7.

  26. Crim L.R. (1963), 207.

  27. But cf. J. Aitken,Officially Secret, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1971,passim.

  28. Crim. L.R. (1985), 318.

  29. The Politics of Secrecy, N.C.C.L., 1982, 34.

  30. The sentence “‘Authorisation’ is defined in the Act” in M. Supperstone, ed.,Brownlie's Law of Public Order and National Security, Butterworths, 1981, 253, is incorrect.

  31. For illustrations, see Robertson & Nicol,supra n.24 at 263.

  32. See D.C. Rowat, ed.,Administrative Secrecy in Developed Countries, Macmillan, 1979, 19.

  33. R. Austin in J. Jowell & D. Oliver, eds.,The Changing Constitution, The Clarendon Press, 1985, 367.

  34. D.G. Williams in P.R. Glazebrook, ed.,Reshaping the Criminal Law, Stevens, 1978, 162.

  35. In J.W. Bridge et al., eds.,Fundamental Rights, Sweet & Maxwell, 1973, 140.

  36. CM 408, June 1988.

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  1. Leeds Polytechnic, UK

    M. Jefferson M.A. (Oxon), B.C.L. (Senior Lecturer)

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  1. M. Jefferson M.A. (Oxon), B.C.L.
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Jefferson, M. Official secrets and breach of confidence. Liverpool Law Rev 10, 203–211 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01082758

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