Guidance

FCDO privacy notice for events in the UK and overseas

Published 11 July 2023

© Crown copyright 2023

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-privacy-notice-for-events-in-the-uk-and-overseas/fcdo-privacy-notice-for-events-in-the-uk-and-overseas

What a privacy notice is

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires that data controllers provide information to people whose personal information they process. Processing information means how we use it, store it, and share it, how long we keep it and how we destroy it.

Who we are

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) pursues our national interests and projects the UK as a force for good in the world. We promote the interests of British citizens and provide consular services overseas, safeguard the UK’s security, defend our values and tackle global challenges with our international partners. To do this effectively we must collect, store, share and use personal information.

This privacy notice relates to face-to-face and virtual events organised by the FCDO and its posts in the UK and overseas.

What information we collect about you and how

We may collect personal information from you if you attend an event, register for one or are invited to one. This personal data may include your:

  • contact details, including your address, email address, postcode and telephone number
  • employment details, including your job title and employer
  • facial image
  • gender
  • name, including your full name and title

Some personal data that is recognised as special category data by the UK GDPR needs more protection because it is sensitive. We may collect special category data, including your:

  • accessibility requirements (which may indicate your health data)
  • dietary requirements (which may indicate your religious beliefs or health data)
  • nationality (which may indicate your religious beliefs or ethnic origin when combined with other data such as name and title)

We may collect this information from you in a number of ways, including:

  • information you provide to us directly, including business cards
  • information provided to us by other UK government departments, agencies and public bodies
  • information provided to us by governments in other countries

How we use your information

We may store your information in contact lists and databases for future events, including databases managed by third parties. We sometimes use third-party event management software to organise registration and RSVPs. Where we do so, we aim to ensure that the supplier meets our data protection requirements and is compliant with the ISO 27001 information security standard. The supplier may vary depending on the FCDO directorate or post that is organising the event.

We only use secure, encrypted methods of transfer to send data within the FCDO and to partners working on our IT platform. We aim to ensure that access to personal data is limited to staff members who have an operational need to access it.

Why we collect personal information about you

We collect personal data for the purposes of organising events. This includes registering delegates, recording correspondence with delegates, writing invitations, managing attendance and seeking your feedback. The FCDO organises events to fulfil its mission of promoting the Best of Britain internationally, countering malign influence, promoting freedom and democracy and deepening the enduring ties with its allies. We do this in the interests of leading the government’s diplomatic, development and consular work in the UK and overseas.

Who we share your information with and why

We may share data with other UK government departments, agencies and public bodies. We may also share data with third-party suppliers, including caterers, event management companies and software providers.

There may be other circumstances in which we may lawfully share your data with third parties. For example, we may be required to do so by law, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crimes. Where we share data, however, we shall do so in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Our lawful basis for processing

We process this data under the following lawful basis:

  • public task: where we are carrying out a specific task in the public interest or exercising official authority. This is the most commonly used lawful basis in the FCDO as we are a ministerial department

Where we are processing special category data, we may do so under the following lawful basis:

  • consent: you have given us clear consent to process your personal information for a specific purpose

If your personal data is processed on the basis of consent, you have the right to withdraw consent to the use of your personal data at any time.

We will only use your personal information for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose. If we need to use your personal information for an unrelated or new purpose, we will notify you and we will explain the legal basis which allows us to do so.

How long we keep your personal information for

We aim to keep your personal data for no longer than is necessary to organise the relevant event. Some contact details may be retained for future events in secure contact lists and databases. Your personal data will be destroyed securely in line with FCDO retention and disposal policy.

For visits and major events, the retention period is as follows for documents that may contain your name and job title:

  • notification of arrival/departure/change of circumstances of foreign diplomats in the UK: preserved permanently if electronic or destroyed after 3 years if paper
  • visit programmes: reviewed for permanent preservation at 15 years
  • final documentation for major events (such as summits and campaigns): reviewed for permanent preservation at 15 years

Your rights

There are 7 rights that you have when the FCDO is using your personal information for the purpose of organising an event. If you have any questions about these rights, you can contact the Data Protection Officer for more information.

  • right to be informed: you have the right to be informed about what we do with your personal data, which is the purpose of this privacy notice
  • right of access: you have the right to request a copy of any personal information we hold about you and what we do with it. This is known as a Subject Access Request. You can make a request by emailing information.rights@fcdo.gov.uk
  • right to rectification: you have the right to request that any inaccurate personal data we hold is corrected or have incomplete personal information completed
  • right to erasure: you have the right to request that your personal data is erased. This only applies in certain circumstances
  • right to restrict processing: you have the right to request that we limit the use of your personal data. This only applies in certain circumstances
  • right to data portability: you have the right to move, copy or transfer personal information from one IT system to another in a safe and secure way. This right only applies to certain information in certain circumstances
  • right to object: you have the right to object to the use of your information, which means that we would have to stop using your personal information. This right only applies to certain information in certain circumstances

If your personal data is processed on the basis of consent, you have the right to withdraw consent to the use of your personal data at any time.

When making a request to exercise any of these rights, please include your full name, up-to-date contact details and the date of your request. If you are making a Subject Access Request, please include a comprehensive list of what personal data you want to access, including any relevant dates or search criteria to help us identify what you want.

How to contact us

If you have any questions about this notice, consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, or would like to exercise any of your rights, you can contact the Data Protection Officer at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office:

Data Protection Officer
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH

Email: Data.Protection@fcdo.gov.uk

Tel: 020 7008 5000

How to make a complaint

You may also 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

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk

Changes to this notice

We encourage you to reread this Privacy Notice occasionally. We aim to update it regularly, in order to keep you fully informed about how we use your personal information.

This privacy notice was last updated on 19 June 2023.

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