Update on how we process stakeholders’ personal data
In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic we are producing relevant, informative and timely analysis for government policymakers. To make best use of our data and analysis, we may need to contact our stakeholders. You may receive emails during the COVID-19 outbreak that are unrelated to the reason you provided us with your contact details. If you do not wish to receive these, please contact the Data Protection Officer.
The personal data that we collect
The personal data we process about you may include your:
- full name
- email address
- nearest city
- phone number
- organisation
- organisation address
- job title
- details as a Personal Assistant (PA)
- sector
- Details of meetings/interactions/correspondence between the stakeholder and the ONS
How we collect your data
We collect your data when you:
- volunteer to take part in research, including user research
- supply Office for National Statistics (ONS) with feedback on one of our products
- come to us with a query about one of our products
- join a contact list for government departments; a specific topic; an event; a regular meeting; or on admission into a group
- join a mailing list for a ONS statistical or research bulletin
- request a ONS product on release
- sign-up to one of our inter-departmental training courses
The purposes for which your personal data is being processed
If you have made a query about one of our products
We use your data to contact you to help us build and improve our products. If you contact us with a query, we may also store your data to aid our response to your request and any similar requests in the future.
If you are considered to be a ONS Stakeholder
ONS uses a filing system to manually manage our stakeholder relationships across the business. Only accessible to a chosen group of stakeholder relationship managers within ONS, it is used to:
- join up conversations internally to provide a better service to stakeholders
- inform colleagues about who they need to speak to internally if they want to reach a particular stakeholder
- identify organisations who are engaged with ONS activity.
The system and its information is not shared with anyone outside of the ONS.
If you are on one of our contact lists
We use your data to communicate with you about:
- a specific work programme (for example data sharing agreements or surveys)
- a specific topic (for example statistical methodology)
- an event or meeting (for example conferences)
- a group (working groups or area champions)
- a specific training course you have signed up to
If you receive our information and bulletins
We use your data to communicate to you our latest statistical releases or bulletins. This may be in general or about a specific release.
The legal basis for 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 Office for National Statistics (ONS) processing of stakeholder personal data 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.
How long we keep your data for
Your personal data will only be held for so long as it is required by us to carry out our role as a statistical authority. Office for National Statistics (ONS) database owners are encouraged to regularly review their business need and proactively remove the personal data of stakeholders who are inactive. You can request removal from a database, bulletin or group at any point in time simply by contacting the owner (for example the mailing list sender). Where appropriate, personal data will be anonymised as soon as practically possible.
Where we store queries for future reference, accompanying personal information will be stored for a maximum of two years. After this period, or when the query is no longer needed, it will be deleted or the contents anonymised.
Who we share your personal data with
At Office for National Statistics (ONS) we treat all the data we hold with respect, keeping it secure and confidential. The majority of work areas within ONS do not share your personal data with any third parties. Those that do are outlined in the following tables.
| Work Area | Recipient | What they receive and why |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Publishing: Website User Research | SurveyMonkey | Your details including nearest city and vocational details are collected via SurveyMonkey. Details are deleted following extraction to ONS systems. |
| Prices: Housing Market Index (HPI) User Engagement List | HM Land Registry | Your name and email address, as a user of HPI, are shared. This is because Land Registry produce and publish HPI in collaboration with ONS. |
Download this table Table 1: Input and product queries
.xls .csv
| Work Area | Recipient | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| External Affairs and Partnerships: Consultations or Surveys | Other government departments | Occasionally these are conducted in collaboration with other departments. Your details and organisation are shared. |
| External Affairs and Partnerships: PPP Forum | Co-hosting organisations | Your name and organisation are shared only when co-hosting an PPP forum event |
| External Affairs and Partnerships: Statistics User Forum | Royal Statistical Society | Your name and organisation are shared when occasionally collaborating. |
| Centre for Equalities and Inclusion: Inequalities Data Audit Working Group | Working group members | Your name and email are shared when meeting invitations are distributed. |
| Centre for Equalities and Inclusion: Data for Children Working group | Working group members | Your contact information is shared when collaborating or by the request of other members. |
| Centre for Equalities and Inclusion: Strategic Advisory Board | Other board members | Your contact information is shared when collaborating or by the request of other members. |
| Centre for Equalities and Inclusion: Technical Advisory Group | Other group members | Your name and email are shared when meeting invitations are distributed. |
| Centre for Equalities and Inclusion: Religion Task and Finish Group | Other group members | Your contact information is shared when collaborating or by request of other members. |
| Central Policy Secretariat: Inter Administration Committee | Committee representatives from devolved administrations | Your contact information may be shared, on request, with other committee members. |
| Central Policy Secretariat: Heads of Profession Committee | Heads of Profession from other government departments and devolved administrations | Your contact information may be shared, on request, with other Heads of Profession. |
| Gender Identity: Stakeholder Information | Other government departments | Occasionally we work in collaboration with other government departments. Your details and information provided during meetings may be shared with them. |
Download this table Table 2: Contact lists
.xls .csvYour rights as a data subject
As a data subject (someone whose personal data we hold) you have rights available to you under data protection legislation. Office for National Statistics’ (ONS’) use of a “public task” legal basis does not impact your rights as a data subject. If you want us to stop processing your personal data (for example removal from a contact list), please let the respective database owner know.
If you wish to exercise any other rights or cannot get hold of a database owner, then please contact our Data Protection Officer at: DPO@Statistics.gov.uk
Your rights are as follow:
- you have the right to be informed about the personal data we hold about you
- you have the right to request access to the data we hold about you
- you have the right to amend any wrong or inaccurate data we may hold about you
- you have the right to object to your personal data being processed
- you have the right, in some circumstances, to request that we erase any personal data we may hold about you
- you have the right, in some circumstances, to request that we process your data on a restricted basis
- you have the right not to be subject to an automated decision-making process
Further information on the rights available to you, and the circumstances under which you can exercise them, is available from the Information Commissioner.
Contact details
The data controller for your personal data is the Office for National Statistics. The contact details for the data controller are:
Office for National Statistics
Government Buildings
Cardiff Road
Newport
NP10 8XG
Telephone +44 1633 456633
The contact details for the ONS Data Protection Officer (DPO) are:
DPO
Office for National Statistics
Government Buildings
Cardiff Road
Newport
NP10 8XG
Email: DPO@Statistics.gov.uk
Complaints
If you consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, you may make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Email: casework@ico.org.uk
Any complaint to the Information Commissioner will not affect your right to seek compensation through the courts.