Notice

Green Gas Support Scheme and Green Gas Levy: privacy notice

Published 12 May 2022

© Crown copyright 2022

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-gas-support-scheme-and-green-gas-levy-privacy-notice/green-gas-support-scheme-and-green-gas-levy-privacy-notice

This notice sets out how we will use your personal data for monitoring, evaluation, and research to support ‘public tasks’ related to the Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS) and Green Gas Levy (GGL). It also sets out your rights.

It is made under Articles 13 and 14 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

The data

We will process the following data.

GGSS

  • contact details of an authorised signatory including name, email address and telephone number
  • name and address of the anaerobic digestion plant, and of the associated company
  • administrative details, including GGSS number, dates of submission and commission, and application status
  • plant details, including capacity, capital cost, and expected biomethane generation
  • payment details, including tariffs and the amount of biomethane supported under the scheme (this does not include details of the account into which you receive GGSS tariff payments)

GGL

  • contact details of an authorised signatory including name, email address and telephone number
  • name and address of the supplier
  • administrative details, including GGL number and dates of payments
  • supplier details, including number of meter points
  • payment details, including total amount paid under the scheme (this does not include details of the account from which you make GGL payments)

Purpose

The purposes for which we are processing your personal data are listed below.

1. Evaluation of the GGSS and GGL. Your personal data will be processed for activities including but not limited to:

  • sampling – the activity of using your personal data to contact you, to invite you to consent to participate in research activities, including but not limited to surveys and interviews
  • data analysis – the activity of carrying out statistical activities on your personal data, either in isolation or combined with other datasets
  • tailoring - the activity of including your personal data on research apparatus to make it more specific to you, such as the inclusion of your name on the introductory message of a survey

2. For monitoring of the GGSS and GGL, your data will be processed for activities including but not limited to:

  • monitoring of payments made to participants (GGSS) or by participants (GGL)
  • the publication of official statistics

3. For analysis, research and future policy development, your data will be processed for activities including but not limited to:

  • research for the development of policies on clean heat and any related activities
  • data analysis – the activity of carrying out statistical activities on your personal data, either in isolation or combined with other datasets
  • conduct research and analysis to support related policies
  • linking – your data may be linked to other datasets in which your data is stored for evaluation, monitoring, and analytical purposes

The legal basis for processing your personal data is public task (Article 6(1)(e) UK GDPR). 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 controller, such as the exercise of a function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown, or a government department; the exercise of a function conferred on a person by an enactment; the exercise of a function of either House of Parliament; or the administration of justice.

In this instance, one of the tasks which DESNZ needs to complete is an evaluation of the GGSS and GGL. A proper evaluation of the GGSS and GGL is required to assess the value-for-money of public spending, the extent to which they have met their aims and whether it has resulted in the expected impacts. The Public Value Framework published by HM Treasury makes clear the necessity of evaluation to public policy (this is particularly clear on page 47).

In addition, DESNZ needs to monitor the scheme and how it is functioning, from an operational, financial and a policy development perspective. This is done by producing Official Statistics, financial forecasts, and other analysis. The statistics provide transparent information on the scheme, e.g., the number of applicants. The financial forecasts enable control of spend of the scheme as well as payments to applicants. Financial auditing is also done by the National Audit Office. DESNZ also carries out research to inform the development of the GGSS, GGL, and other policies.

Recipients

For evaluation purposes, your personal data will be shared by us with any contractor or sub-contractor with whom DESNZ deem necessary for undertaking evaluation activities as part of the GGSS and GGL evaluation. These contractors and sub-contractors will not have the right to share your data more widely without DESNZ’s permission. They will not use your data for purposes other than carrying out the evaluation of the GGSS and GGL. For the purposes listed above, personal data may be shared by us with:

  • the Welsh Government
  • the Scottish Government
  • the Office for National Statistics
  • other government departments and agencies as required for monitoring and research purposes, for example Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • the National Audit Office
  • any contractor or sub-contractor we deem necessary for undertaking research activities

In accordance with GDPR Principle (C): Data Minimisation, DESNZ will limit the sharing of your personal data to what is necessary and relevant. We will limit the data sharing to those who require it to undertake their contractual obligations in completing work as part of the evaluation or monitoring of the GGSS and GGL. We only share personal data when that is essential for the research activity. Where personal data is not essential for the monitoring, evaluation, or research we may instead share extracts of data.

As your personal data will be stored on our IT (information technology) infrastructure it will also be shared with our processors: Microsoft and Amazon Web Services.

Retention

Data will be retained to monitor payments until all payments on the schemes have been made, in November 2041.

Where personal data has not been obtained from the data subject

Your personal data is obtained by us from the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). Ofgem are legally compelled to supply data to DESNZ under the Green Gas Support Scheme Regulations 2021 when DESNZ requests it.

Ofgem’s privacy notices:

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 are completed, including by means of a supplementary statement
  • request 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) to request that the processing of your personal data is restricted
  • object to the processing of your personal data where it is processed for direct marketing purposes
  • object to the processing of your personal data

International transfers

As your personal data is stored on our IT infrastructure and shared with our data processors Microsoft and Amazon Web Services, it may be transferred and stored securely elsewhere in the UK and European Economic Area (EEA). Where your personal data is stored outside the UK and EEA it will be subject to equivalent legal protection using Model Contract Clauses.

Your personal data will be processed in the UK. Your personal data may also be processed in the EEA. Third parties (such as contractors and sub-contractors) may employ staff who work inside the EEA and internationally, who may process your data.

Where your personal data is processed outside UK and EEA, the following safeguards will be in place:

  • an adequacy decision in respect of a third country under UK Adequacy Regulations
  • reliance on Model Contract Clauses
  • reliance on binding corporate rules

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

Email icocasework@ico.org.uk

Contact form https://ico.org.uk/glo...

Telephone 0303 123 1113

Textphone 01625 545 860

Any complaint to the Information Commissioner is without prejudice to your right to seek redress through the courts.

Contact details

The controller for your personal data is the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

Contact the DPO:

BEIS Data Protection Officer
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
1 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0ET

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