Requests For Information

Requests For Personal Information

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you already have a statutory right to have access to personal data we hold about you on computer or in a structured manual file (i.e on paper). You also have the right to expect us, as the data controller, to ensure that data is:

• processed fairly and lawfully
• obtained for specific and lawful purposes
• adequate, relevant and not excessive
• accurate and where necessary kept up to date
• not kept for longer than is necessary
• processed in accordance with the rights of the data subject
• kept secure
• not transferred abroad unless to countries with adequate data protections laws.

For the purposes of the 1998 Act, "personal data" is information that relates to a living identifiable person. The person or organisation who controls the purpose and manner in which data is processed is the "data controller". More information on the Data Protection Act can be found at www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisations/data_protection.aspx or from the Information Commissioner at the address given below.

Information Where Cambridgeshire Police Authority Is The Data Controller

Where we are the data controller, you are entitled to be told whether we hold data about you, and if we do:

• to be given a description of the data in question
• to be told for what purposes the data is process
• to be told the recipients, or classes of recipients, to whom the data is or
• maybe disclosed

You are also entitled to a copy of the information with any unintelligible terms, acronyms or codes explained. You will also be given any information available to us on the source of the data. The data will be in its latest form.

If you wish to apply for access to your personal data, known as "a subject access request", you should write to us at the above address. A fee of £10 must accompany your request together with proof of your identity. We also need to be supplied with the details needed to locate the information you seek. A request for access to personal data will be dealt with promptly and in any event within 40 days of receipt of the request and payment of the fee.

If you consider that a request by you for access to your personal data has not been dealt with properly, you may write to us at the above address seeking resolution of your complaint or write to the information commissioner, who is appointed to consider such complaints at:

Office of the Information Commissioner,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
CHESHIRE,
SK9 5AF

The Information Commissioner is empowered to assess whether there has been a failure to comply with the 1998 Act. The commissioner can issue enforcement proceedings if satisfied that there has been a contravention of the data protection principles. The commissioner can also recommend that you apply to court alleging a failure to comply with the subject access provisions of the 1998 Act. The court may make an order requiring compliance with those provisions and may also award compensation for any damages you have suffered as well as any associated distress.

Information Where Cambridgeshire Authority Is Not The "Data Controller"

In many cases, it is the police and not the police authority which holds personal information. The Police National Computer includes information on prosecutions, convictions and cautions. Chief officers of police are the "data controllers" for this information and not Cambridgeshire Police Authority.

You have the right to be told by a chief officer whether any information is held about you on the Police National Computer and a right to a copy of that information. The chief officer will give that information if he is satisfied as to your identity and on payment of a fee of £10. The chief officer may deny access to this information where the information is held for the prevention or detection of crime or for the apprehension or prosecution of offenders and where release of the information would be likely to be prejudicial to any of these purposes. Police forces provide a form to simplify the exercise of your subject access rights to PNC information. In the case of Cambridgeshire Constabulary you should contact:

Subject Access Administrator,
Cambridgeshire Constabulary,
Hinchingbrooke Park,
HUNTINGDON,
Cambridgeshire,
PE29 6NP

Tel: 0845 456 456 4 or visit www.cambs.police.uk

Environmental Information Regulations

If you wish to make a request for information under the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR), which provide members of the public with the right to access environmental information held by public authorities, you should write to the local authority for the area in which you reside, or the area for which you are seeking the relevant information.

Make a Freedom of Information Request