Personal information charter

This explains how the Office for the Independent Examiner of Complaints (OIEC) looks after your information.

The Office for the Independent Examiner of Complaints (OIEC) is an arm’s length entity (an administrative function of the Home Office), staffed by civil servants. Its role is to support the Independent Examiner of Complaints - an independent officer holder - discharge their contractual responsibilities.

The OIEC 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 IEC 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.

On 1 January 2021, the EU General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) were incorporated into UK data protection law. In line with the 2021 act, the OIEC 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.

You have the right to request access to the personal information that the OIEC holds about you. Details of how to make the request can be obtained from:

The Office for the Independent Examiner of Complaints

PO BOX 6147
Sheffield
S2 9JD

iec@homeoffice.gov.uk

In certain circumstances you have the right to:

  1. Object to, and request restriction of, the use of your personal information, or to ask to have your data deleted, or corrected.
  2. 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 OIEC may also on occasion share personal data with other organisations whose function is linked to that of the OIEC, provided that sharing is for a purpose in-keeping with the reason for which personal data was originally shared with the OIEC.

During any disclosure, the OIEC will act in accordance with data protection legislation.