Singapore legislation
Section 59
Section 59
Limitations on disclosure of records of investigation, etc.
(1)
In this section, “restricted information” means —
all statements (whether oral or in writing) obtained from persons by an Inspector, or by a person acting under the authority of the Minister or Chief Inspector of Accidents, in the course of an investigation under this Part (including any record of any such statement);
all communications with any person having been involved in the operation of an aircraft that is being or has been investigated under this Part;
all medical or private information regarding persons (including deceased persons) involved in the accident or incident that is being or has been investigated under this Part;
any cockpit voice recording and transcript from the recording;
any air traffic services recording and transcript from the recording;
any cockpit airborne image recording and any part or transcript from the recording; and (g)records of the analysis of information or evidential material acquired in the course of an investigation under this Part (such as but not limited to flight recorder information), including any opinion expressed by a person in the analysis of the information or evidential material.
(2)
Subject to subsection (3), a person who is or has been an Inspector, a member of the staff of the AAIB, or an adviser, or who has or has had access to any restricted information, must not disclose or make available any restricted information to any other person or a court.
(3)
Subsection (2) does not apply —
to anything done by a person in performing functions or exercising powers under, or in connection with, this Part or the subsidiary legislation made for the purposes of this Part;
to disclosure to a court in criminal proceedings for an offence under any provision of this Part or the subsidiary legislation made for the purposes of this Part or under section 86; or
to disclosure where the General Division of the High Court determines that the benefits resulting from the disclosure outweigh the adverse domestic and international impact the disclosure may have on that or any future investigation.
(4)
If a person is prohibited by this section from disclosing any restricted information, then the person cannot be required by any court to disclose the information, and any information disclosed by the person in contravention of this section is not admissible in any civil proceedings or any criminal proceedings (other than proceedings against the person under this section).
(5)
A report mentioned in section 51(7) is not admissible in evidence in any civil proceedings and any criminal proceedings, that is not an inquiry under the Coroners Act 2010.
(6)
Despite anything in the National Library Board Act 1995, the Minister, the Chief Inspector of Accidents, an inspector and an investigator‑in‑charge are not required to hold aircraft records or factual information concerning an accident or incident that is being or has been investigated under this Part beyond the time that is necessary for the completion of the investigation and reports.[14D