Data Protection Act 1998: Guidance for Cabinet Office Staff
Standards and Best Practice Handbook for Government Departments
Introduction
This handbook is designed as an aid for staff working on data protection in
government departments. It is not intended to be a general guide for all
staff in a department, although some parts may be appropriate for wider
distribution.
The guidance is not a comprehensive manual of data protection. It assumes
that its users will have a basic knowledge of the Data Protection Act 1998
(DPA) and will be aware of its key provisions. The topics chosen for
inclusion are those which have given rise to difficulty, or where there is
uncertainty, and on which guidance has been requested. The handbook aims to
provide any legal guidance available, with recommended best practice gained
by experience of operating the Act.
Individual sections of the handbook are intended to be self-contained and
do not necessarily build on previous sections. It is a reference manual,
which readers should consult as necessary on individual topics.
There is an emphasis in the guidance on handling subject access requests
(SARs). This is a reflection of the concerns which have been encountered in
administering the Act and of the requests received for guidance, with
greater uncertainty being found in responding to SARs than, for instance,
in notifying with the Information Commissioner. It does not imply that less
emphasis should be placed on those parts of the Act not covered in the
handbook; it is merely that they have generated fewer queries.
The handbook contains recommended good practice but there can be no
compulsion on individual departments to follow its recommendations. Where
the recommended good practice does not fit their organisation, or their own
legal advice differs from that in the handbook, departments must make a
judgement as to the appropriate course to follow.
This guidance cannot remain static, and will be amended and added to from
time to time. Any comments or suggestions for amendments should be
addressed to a member of the Openness Unit in the Cabinet Office. Contact
details are:
Dennis Morris: 0207 276 6333; dennis.morris@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
Kevin Nichols: 0207 276 6334; kevin.nichols@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
Brian Hogan: 0207 276 6335; brian.hogan@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
The handbook is also available in portable document format (PDF)
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