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Role of the Information Commissioner’s Office

Role of the Information Commissioner’s Office. 'Promoting public access to official information and protecting your personal information' Christine Johnson Senior Policy Manager (EIR). What does the ICO do?. The Information Commissioner’s Office regulates The Data Protection Act 1998

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Role of the Information Commissioner’s Office

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  1. Role of the Information Commissioner’s Office 'Promoting public access to official information and protecting your personal information' Christine Johnson Senior Policy Manager (EIR)

  2. What does the ICO do? The Information Commissioner’s Office regulates • The Data Protection Act 1998 • The Freedom of Information Act 2000 • The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 • And other secondary legislation

  3. ICO Role To ensure compliance through • Promotion / awareness raising • Good Practice – advice and promotion • Providing general advice and guidance • Enforcement • Role in respect of FoIA and EIR – exactly the same • EIR imports enforcement aspects of FoIA

  4. Good Practice • FoIA • s.45 Code of Practice (on discharge of PA’s functions) • s.46 Code of Practice (Records Management) • EIR • Code of Practice and FoIA s.46 Code • Do not have statutory basis • Departure from Codes of Practice can lead to …

  5. Practice Recommendations (s.48) • Issued if a public authority (PA) departs from Codes of Practice • In writing • Refer to particular provisions of Code • Specify steps the ICO think are necessary for PA to take to comply with Code(s) • Not binding on PA

  6. Provide Assistance and Guidance • Publish awareness guidance • General • Procedural and exemption/exception guidance • Sector specific (in preparation) • Advice on lifecycle of request • Advice on fees • Audit function to assess if PA complying • PA invites ICO to do this

  7. Refusal Notices • If PA believes information exempt from release, they must • Issue a refusal notice within time limit • Explain the exemption/exception applied • Explain the public interest test (if applicable) Justification – Explanation • Right to internal review

  8. Enforcement • s.50 and r.18 – Right to Complain to Commissioner ICO generally will not deal with complaint, unless • Exhausted PA complaints procedure or if, • Undue delay • Frivolous or vexatious • Application withdrawn/ abandoned

  9. What can you complain about? • Failure to respond • Within 20 days • Failure to explain when an time extension is required • Failure to give proper advice and help • Failure to give information requested • In the form requested • Failure to give adequate reasons why request refused • Incorrect charges

  10. Information Notices (s.51) ICO can require more information if • Received an application under s.50/r.18 • Reasonably requires the information (including unrecorded information) • Must specify in writing • Information required • Time limit • Right of appeal under s.57 (Information Tribunal – 28 days

  11. Enforcement ICO must – in writing: • Notify complainant and PA of ICO’s decision -Decision Notice If PA has failed to comply ICO must: • Specify steps PA must take to comply • Time should comply within • Right of appeal under s.57 (Information Tribunal – 28 days) • Subject to executive override s.53

  12. Enforcement Notices (s.52) (e.g.systemic or repeated non-compliance, whistleblowers) • PA fails to comply ICO can issue an enforcement notice in writing and it must state • Steps to be taken to comply • Time limit • Right of appeal under s.57 • Subject to executive override s.53

  13. Failure to comply with notice (s.54) • If PA fails to comply with a decision notice, information notice or enforcement notice the Commissioner can • Inform the High Court • Possible contempt of court • Up to two years in prison

  14. s.77 offence • Request for information made and PA or an individual • Alters, defaces, blocks, erases, destroys, conceals the information • With the intention of preventing its disclosure • Criminal offence – fine up to £5,000

  15. How to Complain to ICO As soon as possible • Write to the ICO – include • Cover letter detailing complaint • Details of original request • Copy of Refusal Notice • Copy of complaint (internal review) • Copy of the PA’s response to complaint • Any other relevant information • Contact details

  16. What will ICO do? • Upon receiving complaint ICO will • Send an acknowledgement • Allocate your complaint to a caseworker • Send initial response within 28 days • We will try to resolve complaint informally if possible • If we cannot deal with your complaint we will explain why

  17. Success Stories • Large amount of information released • For example • CAP subsidies • Food hygiene reports • Discharges and losses of radioactive material • CJD contracted from contaminated meat • Cost of second runway at Stansted

  18. ICO • As of 31st July, ICO received 1406 applications, 322 determined, 10 on appeal • ICO target - resolve 50% of complaints within 60 working days of receipt.

  19. Contact Us • Want advice? Helpline 01625 545745 • FoI Teams • Central Government, Local Government and Police, Education and Health • foi-enquiries@ico.gsi.gov.uk • EIR Team • eir-enquiries@ico.gsi.gov.uk • Websitewww.ico.gov.uk

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