Privacy and Data Protection
The Support Project is a privacy conscious organisation and is strongly committed to your right to privacy. That is why we have drafted a Privacy and Data Protection Statement, which follows guidelines set out in the Data Protection Act 1998.
The Data Protection Act 1998
The Data Protection Act 1998 came into force on 1 March 2000. It set rules for processing personal information and applies to structured paper records as well as data held on computers. Once the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 comes into force on 1 January 2005, the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 will apply to all records, including those structured other than by reference to the data subject, and completely unstructured files.
How does the Data Protection Act affect the Support Project?
The Data Protection Act states that those who record and process personal information must be open about how the information is used and must follow the eight principles of ‘good information handling’. These principles state that data must be:
- Fairly and lawfully processed
- Processed for limited purposes
- Adequate, relevant and not excessive
- Accurate
- Not kept for longer than is necessary
- Processed in line with your rights
- Secure, and
- Not transferred to countries without adequate protection.
By law, data controllers, including the Support Project, have to keep to these principles.
If you believe in any way that the Support Project is not processing your personal data in accordance with these principles, please contact the Support Project at the address listed on the contacts page.
How does the Support Project collect data?
There are several means by which the Support Project collects personally identifiable data, for example:
- Through registering on the website
- Acceptance for inclusion on a mailing list or database
- As a result of you interacting with the Support Project (e.g. by entering into email or telephone correspondence with an employee of the Support Project)
All personally identifiable information provided to the Support Project is processed in accordance with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Is information passed to third parties?
It is Support Project policy to only disclose information to third parties if explicitly required to do so by United Kingdom Law.
The Support Project will obtain your consent before passing on any information to any third parties.
The Support Project does not collect or compile personally identifying information for dissemination or sale to external parties for marketing purposes or host mailings on behalf of third parties.