Privacy

Data protection legislation

The UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 together determine how, when and why any organisation can process personal data. Personal data is any information that can identify a living individual. These laws exist to ensure that your data is managed safely and used responsibly. They also provide you with certain rights in respect of your data and create a responsibility on us, as a user of personal data, to provide you with certain information. While most of this information is available elsewhere on our website and other promotional materials, gathering it here in one place should make it easier for you.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) collects and processes a lot of information, both directly from individuals and in bulk from other organisations and does so using a variety of methods.

If you have any queries about how your personal data is used, please contact external.affairs@ons.gov.uk.

The identity and contact details of the data controller

The data controller is the person or organisation who decides what personal data shall be processed and for what purpose. For the vast majority of our work ONS is the controller and makes those decisions. However, in some instances we provide statistical services to other organisations or government departments and collect or process data on their behalf. Whenever that is the case we will let you know.

You can get in contact with ONS either by telephone, email or post:

0845 601 3034
info@ons.gov.uk 

Customer Contact Centre 
Room D265 
Office for National Statistics 
Government Buildings 
Cardiff Road, Newport 
South Wales 
NP10 8XG 

The contact details of our Data Protection Officer

Our Data Protection Officer is the person charged with providing ONS with advice and guidance on the ways we can best protect the information we collect and use, and they are involved in all the major decisions we make in relation to personal data. If you have any queries or concerns regarding your data, or wish to exercise any of your rights (see later in this guidance), then please contact:

0845 601 3034
DPO@statistics.gov.uk 

Data Protection Officer 
Office for National Statistics 
Segensworth Road 
Titchfield 
Fareham 
Hampshire 
PO15 5RR 

Specific data collected

The data collected for consultations includes:

• Individuals' names, organisation, position, email, sector.
• Feedback on a proposed change to ONS methodology or cuts to our outputs
• People's views of ONS (overall satisfaction, quality of statistics, trustworthiness, helpfulness engagement)
• Confirmation of preference over future contact/publication of names of participants

This information is gathered through several channels – primarily the Citizen Space website, but also through emails, phone calls, roundtables and face-to-face meetings.

The purposes for which personal data are processed

The ONS has the statutory objective to promote and safeguard the production of official statistics that serve the public good. This means that any personal data we collect, whether that is for our own use or on behalf of someone else, will only ever be used to produce statistics or undertake statistical research. Further information on what we use data for is available.

In this instance, any data collected will be used to inform ONS decisions on major changes to its products and services plus glean feedback to improve user experiences. Also, to gain a better understanding of its users and their needs and to steer ONS strategic priorities and business planning.

The legal basis for the processing

Data protection legislation requires that all processing of personal data is undertaken under one or more of a set list of conditions. Unless stated otherwise all ONS statistical processing is undertaken under the following condition:

“Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.”

ONS is a statutory body, meaning we were created by legislation, specifically the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, with the objective of promoting and safeguarding the production and publication of official statistics that serve the public good. All our collection and use of data comes from powers that can be found in that Act or other UK legislation. A full list of all the legislation that we use is available.

An additional condition is required for any processing of special personal data. Special personal data is information about your racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, sex life or sexual orientation. It also includes genetic and biometric data. The condition that ONS uses to process such data is:

“Processing is necessary for archiving in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes based on UK law.”

Who data collected is shared with

At ONS we treat the data we hold with respect, keeping it secure and confidential. However, to support statistical production and research we will sometimes allow access to the information we hold where it is lawful to do so. Regarding consultations specifically:

• Where joint consultations are held, the data will be shared with the partner organisation. However, in such situations it will be made clear that the consultation is being jointly run and all materials co-branded.
• For some consultations, all responses are published. Where this is the case it will be explicitly stated.
• Similarly, all responses to consultations are subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act, although no personal information will be released in such instances.
• Some consultations will publish a summary of findings, which may include a list of the organisations that took part but with no links to any specific comments. Names of individual respondents can also be published but only with explicit permission.

More information on how we permit access to data for research is available. We also publish a full list of all of the approved researchers and government organisations who have been granted access.

The period for which personal data will be stored

Personal information in responses to consultations will generally be published and therefore retained indefinitely as a historic record under the Public Records Act 1958.

Personal information in responses that is not published will be retained for three calendar years after the consultation has concluded.

Data subject rights

As a data subject (someone whose personal data we hold) you have rights available to you under data protection law. If you wish to exercise any of these rights then please contact our Data Protection Officer, but please be aware that we may not be required to comply if the data is being held for statistical purposes only. Compliance requirements are set out in the Data Protection Act 2018.

You have the right to request from any controller that holds your personal data: access to the information they hold about you and to amend any wrong or inaccurate information they hold about you. You have the right to object to your personal data being processed.

You have the right, in some circumstances, to request for any controller to: erase any personal data they may hold about you, stop processing your personal data, or pass any information they hold about you to another controller.

Further information on the rights available to you and the circumstances under which you can exercise them, is available from the Information Commissioner.

The Information Commissioner

The Information Commissioner’s Office is the independent body tasked with regulating data protection within the UK. They can provide you with additional information regarding data protection and your rights, and will deal with any complaints you may have regarding our use of your data:

0303 123 1113
casework@ico.org.uk

Information Commissioner’s Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF 

Statutory provision of information

Some of the information we collect from you, for example, the census, is required by law and failure to provide it can be a criminal offence. Whenever we collect your personal data from you we will always let you know if you are required to provide the information and of the possible consequences of failure to do so.

Further information on how we collect, use and store data can be found on our data policies page. Further information on the specific surveys we run is available on our information for households and individuals page.

Delib Privacy Information

Delib's software (this website) enables organisations to set up and operate activities, through which they can engage with you.

This site is managed by the controlling organisation, Office for National Statistics. When you access and use this site, the personal information you have submitted to these activities will go to the organisation. Delib will not access your personal information unless requested to do so by the organisation, and only for the purposes of assisting them with the administration of this site.

Accessing your Personal Information

If you have any questions or requests about your personal information, for example to request a copy of it, or to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong, please contact the organisation (as stated in their Privacy Notice / Privacy Statement / Privacy Policy). It is the controlling organisation's responsibility to answer any questions or requests about your personal information.

Collection of Browser Information

The information provided by your computer when you use this website is collected by Delib. For example, your browser type, IP address, language preference, referring site and the date and time. The purpose for collecting this information is to maintain the security of the website and for operating and improving the software.