Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest News

Information Commission to simplify data Act guidance

by Personnel Today 14 Jan 2003
by Personnel Today 14 Jan 2003

Richard Thomas, the new Information Commissioner, has pledged that one of
his priorities is to make it easier for organisations to comply with the Data
Protection Act.

Thomas, speaking in his official capacity for first time since he took over
the role from Elizabeth France, hinted that he would try to simplify guidance
on employers’ responsibilities when handling staff data under the Data
Protection Act – one of the Information Commission’s main tasks.

He said he is considering publishing a shorter code on monitoring for small
businesses.

"I want to explore the scope for simplifying and de-mystifying the law
and its enforcement so as to minimise the burdens," he said.

"The best way to achieve this is to get organisations to see that this
is in their own best interests. But this must be backed up by firm and
well-targeted use of legal powers where necessary."

Thomas’ comments follow consistent criticism of the Information Commission
that its data protection codes designed to help organisations comply with the
legislation are too long and complex.

Thomas also warned about unnecessary secrecy within the public sector and
the dangers of ever-increasing surveillance.

He put openness for public bodies and respect for personal information at
the heart of his vision for the organisation as he identified priority areas
for him and his team.

"People will not trust government if there is excessive secrecy. And
they will get increasingly anxious about a surveillance society if they cannot
be confident that information about their private lives is being handled
properly," he said.

The Information Commission’s codes on monitoring, and medical records, which
were due to be released before Christmas have still to be published.

By Ben Willmott

www.dataprotection.gov.uk

HR Factfile

Information Commissioner’s priorities

– Challenging traditional cultures of unnecessary secrecy
across the public sector

– Ensuring a culture of respect for personal information

– Balancing open government and privacy against other public
interests

– Helping organisations to achieve compliance with the Data
Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act

– Fostering an environment where freedom of information and
data protection are automatic

Personnel Today
Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
Temps could get an extra £1K a year
next post
Union accuses CBI of sabotaging transfer talks

You may also like

Will the Scale-up visa increase the UK’s flow...

18 Aug 2022

Fall in number of students accepted on degree...

18 Aug 2022

Travel disruption: employers’ questions answered

18 Aug 2022

Royal Mail staff vote for more strike action

17 Aug 2022

Workers worse off as inflation hits double figures

17 Aug 2022

Harrods threatens to use agency staff if strike...

17 Aug 2022

Personnel Today Awards 2022 shortlist: Performance Management Award

17 Aug 2022

Police officers who are violent towards women should...

17 Aug 2022

A third consider job move due to cost...

17 Aug 2022

Government plans to slash Civil Service redundancy pay

16 Aug 2022
  • 6 reasons why work-based learning is better than traditional training PROMOTED | A recent Fortune/Deloitte survey found that 71% of CEOs are anticipating that this year’s biggest business disrupter...Read more
  • Strengthening Scotland’s public services through virtual recruiting PROMOTED | This website is Scotland's go-to place for job seekers looking to apply for roles in public services...Read more
  • What’s next for L&D? Enter Alchemist… PROMOTED | It’s time to turn off the tedious and get ready for interactive and immersive learning experiences...Read more
  • Simple mistakes are blighting the onboarding experience PROMOTED | The onboarding of new hires is a company’s best chance...Read more
  • Preventing Burnout: How can HR help key workers get the right help? PROMOTED | Workplace wellbeing may seem a distant memory...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+