Some of the language used in privacy notices can be specialised. The Information Commissioner's website provides a useful introduction to key terms and concepts.
Purposes of the processing
Scottish Parliament committees need public engagement to inform their work. They maintain a contact list to get in touch with people to inform them about committee activities. This contact may notify people when the committee publishes a report, launches a call for views, allow them to receive a committee newsletter or be made aware of any other public engagement activities. Witness names and contact details will also be added to our contact list so that they can informed of the outcome of committee Business.
Categories of information
The Parliament will process standard or normal category personal information in relation to its contact list. This will include your name, organisation (if applicable), email address and phone number. It may also include your home or work address if contact has been made by mail.
The legal basis for processing
Data protection law states that we must have a legal basis for handling personal data. The legal basis for collecting and holding your personal data for the committee contact list is that it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest in accordance with Art 6(1)(e) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and section 8(d) of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).
The task is to facilitate continued engagement of stakeholders with the committees which is part of the core function of the SPCB and is therefore a Crown function in accordance with section 8(d) DPA. However, you are able to unsubscribe from the contact list at any point from which point we will cease to process your personal data (see below, under “Retention of personal data‟.)
Data sharing
Your data will not be shared except under a statutory obligation.
Retention of data
Contact details are held securely on Scottish Parliament IT systems. People have the opportunity to unsubscribe at any time by contacting the relevant committee clerk. All contact details will then be deleted from the system and you should no longer receive updates from that Committee. People should be aware that their name may appear on multiple committee lists.
Data will be reviewed throughout the parliamentary session to ensure it is accurate and up to date. If there are repeated bounce backs from an email address parliament staff will remove the contact from the list.
At the end of a parliamentary session some committees may update their areas of responsibility. The Parliament will get in touch to notify people on the contact list if this is happening and let them know that they have the option to unsubscribe at that point if they choose.
Children and young people safeguarding and child protection
In line with the principles underlying the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland (2014), published by the Scottish Government, our staff may report a concern to the relevant authorities if they come across an issue during their work which causes them to think that a child may be at risk of abuse or harm.
Your rights
Data protection legislation sets out the rights which individuals have in relation to personal data held about them by data controllers. Applicable rights are listed below. You can exercise your data subject rights in particular circumstances depending on the purpose for which the data controller is processing the data and the legal basis upon which the processing takes place.
The following rights may apply:
Access to your information
You have the right to request a copy of the personal information about you that we hold.
Further information on how to make a "data protection subject access request".
Correcting your information
You have the right to ask us to correct the personal data we hold about you. We want to make sure that your personal information is accurate, complete and up to date and you may ask us to correct any personal information about you that you believe does not meet these standards.
Objecting to how we may use your information
You have the right at any time to require us to stop using your personal information for direct marketing purposes. In addition, where we use your personal information to perform tasks carried out in the public interest then, if you ask us to, we will stop using that personal information unless there are overriding legitimate grounds to continue.
- please note that the right to object to the processing of personal data does not apply where the data subject has consented to the processing, subject to the right to withdraw consent
- the right to object to the processing of personal data for the purposes of a public interest task is restricted if there are legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interest of the data subject
- the right of erasure and the right to object to processing of personal data do not apply where personal data is processed for the performance of a legal obligation. This will be considered on a case by case basis and depends on what personal data is involved and the risks further processing of that data could pose to you
Deletion of your information
You have the right to ask us to delete personal information about you where:
- you consider that we no longer require the information for the purposes for which it was obtained
- we are using that information with your consent and you have withdrawn your consent – see Withdrawing consent to using your information below
- you have validly objected to our use of your personal information – see Objecting to how we may use your information above
- our use of your personal information is contrary to law or our other legal obligations
- please note that the right allowing for deletion or erasure of personal data (right to be forgotten) does not apply in cases where personal data is processed for the purposes of the performance of a task carried out in the public interest
- the right of erasure and the right to object to processing of personal data do not apply where personal data is processed for the performance of a legal obligation. This will be considered on a case by case basis and depends on what personal data is involved and the risks further processing of that data could pose to you
Restricting how we may use your information
In some cases, you may ask us to restrict how we use your personal information. This right might apply, for example, where we are checking the accuracy of personal information about you that we hold or assessing the validity of any objection you have made to our use of your information. The right might also apply where there is no longer a basis for using your personal information, but you don't want us to delete the data. Where this right is validly exercised, we may only use the relevant personal information with your consent, for legal claims or where there are other public interest grounds to do so.
Withdrawing consent to using your information
Where we use your personal information with your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time and we will stop using your personal information for the purposes for which consent was given.
Please contact us in any of the ways set out below if you wish to exercise any of these rights.
Changes to our privacy statement
We keep this privacy statement under regular review and will place any updates on this website. Paper copies of the privacy statement may also be obtained using the contact information below.
This privacy statement was last updated on 18 January 2021.
Contact information and further advice
If you have any further questions about the way in which we process personal data, or
about how to exercise your rights, please contact the Head of Information Governance
at:
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Telephone: 0131 348 6913
(Calls are welcome through the Text Relay service or in British Sign Language through contactSCOTLAND-BSL.)
Email: [email protected]
Please contact us if you require information in another language or format
Complaints
We seek to resolve directly all complaints about how we handle personal information but you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office online at: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.
Or by phone at: 0303 123 1113