Information rights
Good information handling provides a range of benefits as well as helping you to comply with the Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts. We have produced guidance for senior managers about taking a positive approach to information rights.
Data protection – looking after the information you hold
If you hold and process information about your living individuals you are legally obliged to protect that information. Under the Data Protection Act, you must:
- only collect information that you need for a specific purpose;
- keep it secure;
- ensure it is relevant and up to date;
- only hold as much as you need, and only for as long as you need it; and
- allow the subject of the information to see it on request.
Find out about your data protection obligations . The ICO has also produced guidance on specific data protection issues which relates to MPs and councillors:
Requests for personal information
Your employees and customers have rights to see their personal information. They can make a subject access request to see the personal information you hold about them. Find out more information on this and what you need to do to reply to a subject access request.
Marketing
The Privacy and Electronics Communications Regulations apply to telephone, email and other electronic marketing methods - if you're planning a marketing campaign of this kind, you'll need to make sure you comply with the Regulations . We have also produced specific guidance on the promotion of a political party.
Notification
If you handle personal information, you may need to notify as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Notification is a statutory requirement and every organisation that processes personal information must notify the ICO, unless they are exempt. Failure to notify is a criminal offence. See our page Do I need to notify and how do I maintain my register entry? for more information.
Employment
As an employer, you are obliged to protect your employees’ personal information. For more information, see our section on employment here; our Quick Guide to the Employment Practices Code gives practical advice on handling employees’ personal information, on monitoring at work and on employees’ rights. You will also find help on your obligations regarding the storing and release of any references you supply.
Freedom of Information – making public information available
The Freedom of Information Act means that public authorities must disclose official information when people ask for it (unless there is a good legal reason not to) and they must reply within 20 working days. Find out about your freedom of information obligations.