Guidance

Privacy notice for Covid-19 response activity

Published 16 April 2020

© Crown copyright 2020

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/privacy-notice-for-covid-19-response-activity/privacy-notice-for-covid-19-response-activity

1. Purpose

The purpose for which we are processing your personal data is to operate the department’s response to the coronavirus (Covid-19) public health epidemic. This will involve the dissemination and gathering of information.

While it is not possible to give an exhaustive list in the current fast developing circumstances, examples include communicating public health advice, dealing with enquiries, collecting and disclosing contact details of academics or medical professionals as well as details of suppliers or prospective suppliers.

2. The data

We will process the following personal data if applicable:

  • your name
  • your home address
  • your email address
  • your phone number including landline and/or mobile phone numbers (if applicable)
  • other data you volunteer

We may also process other information where necessary and proportionate.

We may also process special category data regarding your health.

The legal bases for processing your personal data are:

  • it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest
  • it is necessary to protect the data subject’s vital interests, or the vital interests of another person

Our legal basis for processing any special category data is:

  • it is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest for the exercise of a function of a Minister of the Crown, or a government department.

4. Recipients

Where necessary and proportionate, your personal data may be shared with other public bodies, and the devolved administrations, including other government departments, government agencies and executive agencies.

5. Retention

Personal information held only for the purposes of this privacy notice will not be held more than one year unless it needs to be retained in the public interest or for the historical record.

6. Sources of information

Information may be obtained from other data controllers where necessary and proportionate.

7. Your rights

You have the right:

  • to request information about how your personal data are processed, and to request a copy of that personal data
  • to request that any inaccuracies in your personal data are rectified without delay
  • to request that any incomplete personal data are completed, including by means of a supplementary statement
  • to 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
  • to object to the processing of your personal data

8. International transfers

As your personal data is stored on our IT infrastructure, and shared with our data processors, it may be transferred and stored securely outside the European Union. Where that is the case it will be subject to equivalent legal protection through the use of Model Contract Clauses.

9. 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 independent regulator. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF, or 0303 123 1113, or casework@ico.org.uk.

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

10. Contact details

The data controller for your personal data is the Cabinet Office. The contact details for the data controller are: Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AS, or 0207 276 1234, or publiccorrespondence@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

The contact details for the Cabinet Office’s Data Protection Officer (DPO) are: Stephen Jones, DPO, Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, London SW1A 2AS, or dpo@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

The Data Protection Officer provides independent advice and monitoring of Cabinet Office’s use of personal information.

Back to top