The Northern Ireland Office has breached the
Data Protection Act after failing to provide details held about
a citizen when requested by the citizen, the
Information Commissioners Office (ICO)
has found.
Following a complaint from an individual that the authority had
not responded to a subject access request, the ICO investigated the
Northern Ireland Office.
Under the Data Protection Act individuals have the right to find
out what information an organisation holds on them.
The Northern Ireland Office has been requested by the ICO to
sign a formal undertaking to ensure that all personal information
is processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act. The
Noorthern Ireland Office must also provide training to all
employees who deal with subject access requests under the Act.
Marie Anderson, the Assistant Commissioner for Northern Ireland,
said: "It is essential that organisations comply with subject
access requests appropriately or they risk action from the
ICO."