Personal information charter
How your personal data is used by the Forensic Science Regulator and how to request access to your data.
The Forensic Science Regulator (The Regulator) is an Arm’s Length Body of the Home Office created under the Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021.
The Regulator has a pivotal role in mitigating risk to the criminal justice system.
The Regulator is supported in their role by Home Office civil servants in the Office of the Forensic Science Regulator. Further information about the role of the Regulator is available.
The Regulator has a responsibility to record any personal data received and process or retain it where it is necessary to do so to fulfil their role in support of the public interest.
Personal data is processed in accordance with data protection legislation.
The Regulator acts as controller of this data, which is held securely and for such time as is necessary to complete the process for which it was recorded.
Definitions of ‘personal data’, ‘data protection legislation’, ‘controller’, and ‘processor’ can be found at Section 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018.
In line with the 2021 Act, the Regulator may, on occasion, share data collected in connection with their role with other public authorities if such disclosure is made for the purpose of enabling or assisting the other public authority to discharge all of its function.
The Regulator may also on occasion share personal data with other organisations whose function is linked to that of the Regulator provided that sharing is for a purpose in-keeping with the reason for which personal data was originally shared with the Regulator.
During any disclosure, the Regulator will act in accordance with data protection legislation.
You have the right to request access to the personal information that the Regulator holds about you. Details of how to make the request can be obtained from:
Home Office Science Secretariat
14th Floor
Lunar House 40
Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY
Email: sciencesupportfoi@homeoffice.gov.uk
In certain circumstances you have the right to:
- Object to, and request restriction of, the use of your personal information, or to ask to have your data deleted, or corrected.
- Withdraw your consent to the processing of your data or to request restrictions on the processing carried out, and the right to data portability.
The Regulator may also hold records of the contact details of individuals for the purpose of maintaining circulation lists for relevant publications and for Regulator-hosted events. The Regulator has a public interest responsibility to ensure that certain targeted communications are disseminated appropriately within the relevant community.
If you have previously received such communication, you should continue to do so.
More general communications, such as the Regulator’s newsletter, may be circulated more widely. If you wish to be added to this general circulation list, please sign up to the Forensic Science Regulator circulation list.
If you choose to withdraw your consent at any time you should notify the Regulator by email at fsrenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk and your data will be removed from this general circulation list as soon as practicable. The Regulator does not use your data for automated processing or profiling, where there is no recourse to human intervention.
If you are concerned about the way in which the Regulator is handling your personal data you should first contact fsrenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.
Alternatively, you can contact the Home Office Data Protection Officer, (DPO) who also acts as DPO for the Forensic Science Regulator, and who can be contacted using the details below:
Email: dpo@homeoffice.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 7035 6999
Postal address:
Office of the DPO
Home Office
Peel Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Contact the Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45
Fax: 01625 524510
You can also visit the Information Commissioner’s Office website at the following link: Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)