Data Protection
The Data Protection Act requires all organisations which handle personal information to comply with a number of important principles regarding privacy and disclosure.
The Act states that anyone who processes personal information must comply with eight principles. These state that information must be:
Fairly and lawfully processed
Processed for limited purposes
Adequate, relevant and not excessive
Accurate and up to date
Not kept for longer than is necessary
Processed in line with individuals' rights
Secure
Not transferred to other countries without adequate protection
The Act also allows people to find out what personal information is held about them. This could be on computer or in some paper records, and includes credit reference details. If members of the public think they're being prevented from seeing information they're entitled to, they can ask for help. The Information Commissioner's Office are responsible for looking after customer rights and making sure personal information isn't misused. Complaints are usually dealt with informally, but if this isn't possible, enforcement action can be taken.
Leadline are fully licenced under the Data Protection Act 1998 licence number Z5562925 - click here for further details
All organisations must make sure that they comply with the Data Protection Act. The Information Commissioner's office provide guidance including good practice notes about how to comply and you can also find out anything you need to know about your legal obligations under the Act.
