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The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Graham Smith Deputy Information Commissioner and Director of Freedom of Information 29 September 2010. ICO History (1). Established 1985 as Data Protection Registrar To regulate and enforce Data Protection Act 1984 Computerised records only
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The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Graham Smith Deputy Information Commissioner and Director of Freedom of Information 29 September 2010
ICO History (1) • Established 1985 as Data Protection Registrar • To regulate and enforce Data Protection Act 1984 • Computerised records only • Register of data controllers
ICO History (2) • Becomes Data Protection Commissioner 2000 • Revised Data Protection Act 1998 • To comply with EC Directive 95/46 • Extends to manual records in a relevant filing system
ICO History (3) • Becomes Information Commissioner 2001 • Remit includes Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 • Good practice responsibilities and publication schemes • Fully in force including complaint handling 2005 • Environmental Information Regulations 2005 (EIR)
The Information Commissioner • Corporation sole – powers and duties in one person • Independent of Government • Reports to Parliament • 5 year term of office • Up to 2 deputy commissioners
Resources • All staff are employees of the Commissioner • Data protection funding from notification fees • FOI/EIR funding from government grant • Cannot switch funding or generate income for profit
ICO Mission • To uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals
DP and FOI • Legal powers and duties similar • Promotion of good practice • Complaint handling and enforcement • But can order FOI disclosures … • … and prosecute for DP offences
ICO Departments • Operations • Policy Delivery • Strategic Liaison • Corporate Affairs • Organisational Development • Finance, IT, Internal Compliance
Data Protection Casework2009-2010 • Cases received - 33,234 • Cases closed 2009-2010 - 32,714 • Closed within 30 days - 14,267 (43%) • Prosecutions - 9 • Enforcement Notices - 15
FOI/Environmental InformationCasework 2009-2010 • Cases received - 3,734 • Cases closed - 4,196 • Closed within 30 days - 1,887 (45%) • Regulatory/Enforcement actions 3
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