Public service guarantee on data handling
The Cabinet Office’s Performance and Innovation Unit’s (PIU) report Privacy and data-sharing: the way forward for public services recommended that public bodies should have a Public Service Guarantee on Data Handling to inform people of their rights when they supply personal information to the public sector. Defra and its Executive Agencies has adopted the Guarantee and it is displayed in public areas throughout the Defra Estate. An explanation of each of the promises in the Guarantee is provided to inform you how Defra meets the commitments when handling personal information.
We need to handle personal information about you so that we can provide services for you.
This is how we look after that information.
When we ask you for personal information, we promise:
- to make sure you know why we need it;
- to only ask for what we need, and not to collect too much or irrelevant information;
- to protect it and make sure nobody has access to it who shouldn’t;
- to only share it with other organisations when the law allows;
- to make sure we don’t keep it longer than necessary; and
- not to make your personal information available for commercial use without your permission.
In return, we ask you to:
- give us accurate information; and
- tell us as soon as possible if there are any changes, such as a new address.
This will help us to keep your information reliable and up to date.
You can get more details on:
- how to find out what information we hold about you and how to ask us to correct any mistakes;
- agreements we have with other organisations for sharing information;
- circumstances where we can pass on your personal information without telling you, for example, to prevent and detect crime or to produce anonymised statistics;
- our instructions to staff on how to collect, use and delete your personal information;
- how we check the information we hold is accurate and up to date; and
- how to make a complaint.
When we ask you for information, we will keep to the law, including the Data Protection Act 1998.
If you have a query or complaint about Defra’s handling of your personal information, you can:
- telephone the Defra helpline on 08459 335577 and ask for the Data Protection Officer, or
- send an e-mail to data.protection@defra.gsi.gov.uk
For independent advice about data protection, privacy and data-sharing issues, you can contact the Information Commissioner at:
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Phone: 01625 545745
Fax: 01625 524510
E-mail: mail@dataprotection.gov.uk
Website: www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Privacy statement
Cefas does not capture or store any personal information about individuals who access our website, except where you voluntarily choose to provide us with your personal details when submitting an enquiry. As an agency of Defra, we are committed to ensuring that personal data is handled responsibly, according to the Public Service Guarantee on Data Handling.
Use and disclosure
We will use the personal information you have submitted, e.g. name, postal address and email address, to respond to your enquiry.
Cefas will only store personal data for the minimum period necessary. We also undertake not to pass any of your personal data to other organisations and/or individuals without your consent.
Access
You have the right to know about the personal information Cefas holds about you. You also have a right to have your data corrected or deleted. Please address any requests to the Data Protection Co-ordinator or use the online enquiry form.
