Use of the MSF radio time and frequency signal: privacy notice
Published 26 October 2026
© Crown copyright 2026
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/calls-for-evidence/use-of-the-msf-radio-time-and-frequency-signal-call-for-evidence/use-of-the-msf-radio-time-and-frequency-signal-privacy-notice
This notice is provided to meet the obligations as set out in articles 13 and 14 of UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). This notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is conducting a call for evidence. It invites any person or organisation to provide input on how they use the MSF service to better understand how the service is currently used, the criticality of the service, and potential future requirements.
DSIT is the data controller for this call for evidence and SmartSurvey is acting as DSIT’s data processor to collect survey responses.
Your data
We will process the following personal data, which you may choose to provide:
- names
- contact details
- organisation of respondents
Additionally, your internet protocol (IP) address will be collected to prevent multiple responses and allow for the correct functioning of the SmartSurvey survey platform.
The survey will also feature free-text answer fields. Do not enter any of your personal data or the personal data of others in your organisation into these fields. Any such personal data entered into the free-text fields will be deleted.
Purpose
We are processing your personal data for the purposes of the call for evidence, so that we can contact you to discuss your response in greater detail. Respondents are free to provide their personal details with their survey submissions or not as they prefer.
We may share anonymised data with other organisations which have a direct interest in the policy on which we are consulting, for example: crown bodies, government departments or BIST partner organisations. This is so that we can engage with relevant stakeholders in decisions regarding future provision of the service.
Legal basis of processing
1(e) Public task
The legal basis for processing your personal data is that 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 data controller. For example, a call for evidence which provides ministers and government officials with information about businesses in order to inform future policy development.
Recipients
We publish responses to the call for evidence. If we do this, these responses will be anonymised. We will take all reasonable measures to ensure that neither you nor the organisation you represent are identifiable, and any responses used to illustrate findings will be anonymised.
SmartSurvey is a contracted provider, and their survey platform is used to collect your personal data and survey responses. As part of this survey, SmartSurvey, will collect cookies for several reasons. View the full cookies policy from SmartSurvey.
As part of our IT infrastructure, your personal data will be stored in the UK on systems provided by our data processors: Microsoft and Amazon Web Services. This does not mean we actively share your personal data with these entities; rather, they are technical service providers who host infrastructure supporting our IT systems.
We may share your data if we are required to do so by law, for example by court order or to prevent fraud or other crime.
Retention
Your personal data will be kept by us for 6 months. After this period, personal data will be securely deleted.
International transfers
Your personal data will be processed in the UK.
Your rights
You have the right to:
- request information about how your personal data is processed, and to request a copy of that personal data
- request that any inaccuracies in your personal data are rectified without delay
- request that any incomplete personal data is completed, including by means of a supplementary statement
- request that your personal data are erased if there is no longer a justification for it to be processed
- in certain circumstances (for example, where accuracy is contested) to request that the processing of your personal data is restricted
- object to the processing of your personal data
To exercise your rights, contact the Data Protection Officer (DPO) using the following contact details.
Contact details
The data controller for your personal data is DSIT. You can contact the DSIT Data Protection Officer at:
DSIT Data Protection Officer
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
22-26 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2EG
Email: dataprotection@dsit.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 UK 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.
https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.
Updates to this notice
If this privacy notice changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page. Regularly reviewing this page ensures you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we will share it with other parties.
The ‘last updated’ date on this page will also change. If these changes affect how your personal data is processed, we will take reasonable steps to let you know.