Personal information charter
Source: gov.uk (2025-07-03)

This sets out the standards you can expect from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) when we collect, hold or use your personal information.

DSIT is the data controller for the personal data described in our privacy notices. A data controller determines how and why personal data is processed.

We will follow all applicable data protection laws in how we treat your personal information.

Your rights

When DSIT collects, holds, uses or processes your personal information, you have a right to be told:
- what the data is being used for
- why we’re legally able to process your data (also called the ‘lawful basis for processing’)
- how long we will keep your data
- who we will share it with
- whether it will be transferred or accessed outside the UK or EU, and what legal protection it will have
- who our Data Protection Officer (#dpo) is
- about any rights you have, including the right to access your information or to object to its being used
- about your right to complain to the Information Commissioner (#ico) if you feel that your personal information has been mishandled
You are also entitled to have your personal information:
- protected and kept secure
- kept accurate and up to date
- not used for purposes which are incompatible with those for which it was collected
- kept only for as long as it is needed for the purpose for which it was collected (unless it must be kept as part of the historic record)
How we use your information

Our privacy notices explain in more detail how we will handle your data in specific circumstances, such as:

DSIT privacy notices

These privacy notices explain in more detail how we will handle your data in specific circumstances:
- writing to the department (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dsit-correspondence-privacy-notice)
- responding to a consultation (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dsit-consultations-privacy-notice)
- making a request for information (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/request-for-information-from-dsit-privacy-notice)
See all DSIT privacy notices (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dsit-privacy-notices).

Using special category and criminal conviction personal data

The Appropriate Policy Document (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dsit-processing-special-category-data-and-criminal-offence-data) sets out how DSIT will protect special category and criminal convictions personal data.

How to request your personal data

You can contact us to get a copy of any personal information we hold about you. This is called a subject access request (SAR).

Make a subject access request:

DSIT Data Protection OfficerDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology22-26 WhitehallLondonSW1A 2EG

Email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Please provide as much information as possible about the data you want to access.

We aim to respond to requests within 1 month, although more complex requests may take longer.

How to contact the Data Protection Officer

Contact our Data Protection Officer (DPO) with any concerns about how we or our services handle your personal information.

The DPO is responsible for independent advice and monitoring how DSIT uses personal information.

DSIT Data Protection Officer

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology22-26 WhitehallLondonSW1A 2EG

Email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Independent advice on data protection and privacy

Contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) (https://ico.org.uk/) for independent advice about data protection, privacy and data-sharing issues.

Contact the ICO:

Email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Contact form https://ico.org.uk/mak... (https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/)

Telephone xx-xxxx-xxxx