Comply with data protection legislation
The Information Commissioner
The Information Commissioner enforces the Data Protection Act
1998 and promotes good practice in the handling of personal information.
The Information Commissioner's functions
The Information Commissioner promotes good practice by:
- publishing guidance to make compliance with the law easier
- running a helpline
- encouraging development of codes of practice
- taking enforcement action where necessary
- undertaking speaking engagements
- seeking to influence national and international bodies on privacy
and access matters
- maintaining a register of data controllers (broadly speaking,
those responsible for processing personal information)
- handling complaints by assessing compliance with the eight
data protection principles
The Information Commissioner's powers
The Information Commissioner can require information from a data
controller to assess compliance with the Act and can also serve
an enforcement notice on a data controller to bring the processing
into compliance with the data protection principles.
The Information Commissioner also enforces the Freedom of Information
Act 2000 which regulates access to information held by public authorities.
Download
compliance advice for small businesses from the Information Commissioner
website (PDF).
Subjects covered in this guide
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