Guidance

Fair processing notice for the UK National Contact Point (UK NCP)

Published 24 October 2019

This notice sets out your rights with respect to how we will use your personal data.

The UK National Contact Point (NCP) recognises that it has a duty to people whose information it holds to treat that information responsibly, keep it safe and secure, and process it correctly and proportionately. This privacy notice broadly explains what information we collect, the purpose for processing, categories of personal information and who we may share it with.

1. Your data

We collect personal data about you which covers basic details such as:

• name
• postal address
• email
• telephone number

2. Purpose

The UK National Contact Point (UK NCP) is part of the Department for International Trade (DIT).

We collect, hold and process personal information about complainants for the purposes of determining whether to accept a complaint and (where appropriate) in order to conduct conciliation / mediation or examine whether the company that a complaint has been made against has acted inconsistently with the guidelines.

If you submit a complaint that contains personal information to the UK NCP and the personal information is not your own, you must ensure that consent has been obtained from the relevant individual(s) before the information which contains their personal data is submitted to the UK NCP.

We will not use your personal information for any other purposes, apart from what has been specified. However, if we intend to use it for any other new purpose/s we will ask you first. For instance, in some cases, UK NCP may wish to use your information for improving and developing its services. If we intend to change the purpose, we will notify you of the changes and where necessary contact you for the purposes of obtaining consent.

UK NCP has a duty to perform a public task to support the public providing a mediation and conciliation platform to resolve complaints raised against multinational enterprises (businesses) in relation to issues related to the OECD guidelines on behalf of the UK government.

3. How we may share your information

During the complaints process the UK NCP may communicate and disseminate information about a complaint to the other party to the complaint (either the company / complainant organisation). This is so all parties can review all material submitted to the UK NCP in relation to the complaint. This enables parties, should they wish, to make representations to the UK NCP. The UK NCP will redact the names and contact details of individuals in the complaint material.

We may share information with other government departments, UK diplomatic missions, or overseas Department for International Development (DFID) offices, business associations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or other agencies to seek their advice with resolving the complaints. All complaints statements will be published on GOV.UK. Any identifiable personal data will be redacted before publication.

We may also anonymise some personal data you provide to us to ensure that you cannot be identified and use this data to allow the UK NCP to effectively target and plan the provision of services.

4. Details for transfers

It may sometimes be necessary to transfer personal information overseas for example when handling complaints which involve other NCPs. When this is needed, information may be transferred to countries or territories around the world.

Any transfers made will be in full compliance with all aspects of the UK Data Protection Act 2018.

5. How long we keep your information

We will only retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

6. Your rights and access to your information

You have the right to request a copy of the information that we hold about you.

The UK Data Protection Act 2018 also gives you additional rights that refer to how the UK NCP holds and uses your information.

Consequently, under certain circumstances, by law you have the right to:

• withdraw consent and the right to object and restrict further processing of your data; however, where legally enforceable this may affect the service, we are able to provide to you (this applies if consent was the basis for processing your personal information)
• request to have your data deleted where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing and provided there are no legitimate grounds for retaining it
• request your data to be rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete
• not be subject to automated decision-making including profiling

7. Identity and contact details

The Department for International Trade are registered as a Data Controller under the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018. Our contact details are:

Freedom of Information

Information Rights Unit
Department for International Trade
Old Admiralty Building
Admiralty Place
London
SW1A 2DY

Email FOI@trade.gov.uk

8. Contact details

You have a right to complain to us if you think we have not complied with our obligation for handling your personal information.

You can contact:

If you are not satisfied with the UK NCP response you have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). You can report a concern by visiting the ICO website.