Guidance

Public consultations privacy notice

Published 19 May 2023

© Crown copyright 2023

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-consultations-privacy-notice/public-consultations-privacy-notice

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your information. This notice informs you how we collect and process your personal data in accordance with data protection legislation when you respond to one of our public consultations, which we publish on GOV.UK. Dependent on the consultation, you can respond:

  • by post
  • by email
  • online

The way in which your data is handled varies depending on how you submit your response, but all information submitted to us will be treated in accordance with data protection principles.

This privacy notice sets out:

  • how we process your personal data when you respond to our consultations
  • the rights you have under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)

1. Purpose

We collect your personal data as part of the consultation process:

  • to identify any responses from bots or other fraudulent sources
  • to contact you regarding your response or related matters
  • to produce anonymous statistical data, for example about the types of individuals and groups participating

2. The data we collect

We collect and process the following personal data:

  • your name
  • your email or postal address
  • depending on the topic of the consultation, other personal data such as your postcode or employment status
  • any personal data you volunteer by way of evidence or example in your response to the consultation

If you respond online we may also collect:

  • your Internet Protocol (IP) address, and details of which version of web browser you used
  • information on how you used the site, provided by cookies and page tagging techniques

3. Lawful basis for processing your personal data

The lawful basis we are relying on to process your personal data is article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR, which allows us to process personal data when this is necessary for the performance of our public tasks in the exercise of our official authority.

4. What we do with your data

If you respond to a consultation online, your information will be collected by Qualtrics, our data processor.

We may share your data with other organisations which have a direct interest in the policy on which we are consulting, for example: Crown bodies, government departments or DBT partner organisations. If we plan to share responses with other bodies, we will make that clear on the consultation.

We will not:

  • sell or rent your data to third parties
  • share your data with third parties for marketing purposes

We will share your data if we are required to do so by law, for example by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crime.

5. How long we keep your data

We will only retain your personal data for as long as:

  • it is needed for the purposes of the consultation
  • the law requires us to

This generally means that we will hold your personal data for at least one year.

6. Your rights

With respect to the processing of your personal data described in this notice, you have the right to request:

  • information about how your personal data are processed
  • a copy of the personal data you submitted in an accessible format
  • that anything inaccurate in your personal data is corrected immediately
  • that any incomplete personal data are completed, including by means of a supplementary statement
  • that your personal data are erased if there is no longer a justification for them to be processed
  • in certain circumstances (for example, where accuracy is contested) that the processing of your personal data is restricted

You can also:

  • object to the processing of your personal data
  • lodge a complaint with the Independent Information Commissioner (ICO) if you think we are not handling your data fairly or in accordance with the law

7. Changes to this notice

We may modify or amend this privacy notice at our discretion at any time. When we make changes to this notice, the last modified date at the top of this page will be updated. Any modification or amendment to this privacy notice will be applied to you and your data as of that revision date. If there are substantive changes to how your personal data is processed, DBT will take reasonable steps to make sure you know.

8. How to contact us

8.1 Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

Contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO) with any concerns about how we or our services handle your personal information:

Data Protection Officer

Department for Business and Trade
Old Admiralty Building
Admiralty Place
London
SW1A 2DY

8.2 Independent advice

You can contact the Information Commissioner for independent advice about data protection issues or to make a complaint:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Email casework@ico.org.uk

Telephone 0303 123 1113

Textphone 01625 545860

Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm

If you make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, it does not prejudice your right to seek redress through the courts.

Back to top