Law

Data Protection Act 2018

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2026-09-30, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 283 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 Overview
  3. 2 Protection of personal data
  4. 3 Terms relating to the processing of personal data
  5. 4 Processing to which this Part applies
  6. 5 Definitions
  7. 6 Meaning of “controller”
  8. 7 Meaning of “public authority” and “public body”
  9. 8 Lawfulness of processing: public interest etc
  10. 9 Child's consent in relation to information society services
  11. 9A Processing in reliance on relevant international law
  12. 10 Special categories of personal data and criminal convictions etc data
  13. 11 Special categories of personal data etc: supplementary
  14. 12 Limits on fees that may be charged by controllers
  15. 13 Obligations of credit reference agencies
  16. 13A Meaning of “relevant offence” for purpose of right to erasure
  17. 14 Automated decision-making authorised by law: safeguards
  18. 15 Exemptions etc
  19. 16 Power to make further exemptions etc by regulations
  20. 17 Accreditation of certification providers
  21. 17A Transfers based on adequacy regulations
  22. 17B Transfers based on adequacy regulations: review etc
  23. 17C Standard data protection clauses
  24. 18 Transfers of personal data to third countries etc : public interest
  25. 19 Processing for archiving, research and statistical purposes: safeguards
  26. 20 Meaning of “court”
  27. 21 Definitions
  28. 22 Application of the GDPR to processing to which this Chapter applies
  29. 23 Power to make provision in consequence of regulations related to the GDPR
  30. 24 Manual unstructured data held by FOI public authorities
  31. 25 Manual unstructured data used in longstanding historical research
  32. 26 National security and defence exemption
  33. 27 National security: certificate
  34. 28 National security and defence: modifications to Articles 9 and 32 of the UK GDPR
  35. 29 Processing to which this Part applies
  36. 30 Meaning of “competent authority”
  37. 31 “The law enforcement purposes”
  38. 32 Meaning of “controller” and “processor”
  39. 33 Other definitions
  40. 34 Overview and general duty of controller
  41. 35 The first data protection principle
  42. 36 The second data protection principle
  43. 37 The third data protection principle
  44. 38 The fourth data protection principle
  45. 39 The fifth data protection principle
  46. 40 The sixth data protection principle
  47. 40A Conditions for consent
  48. 41 Safeguards: archiving
  49. 42 Safeguards: sensitive processing
  50. 42A Further provision about sensitive processing
  51. 43 Overview and scope
  52. 44 ... Controller's general duties
  53. 45 Right of access by the data subject
  54. 45A Exemption from sections 44 and 45: legal professional privilege
  55. 46 Right to rectification
  56. 47 Right to erasure or restriction of processing
  57. 48 Rights under section 46 or 47: supplementary
  58. 49 Right not to be subject to automated decision-making
  59. 50 Automated decision-making authorised by law: safeguards
  60. 50A Automated processing and significant decisions
  61. 50B Restrictions on automated decision-making based on sensitive processing
  62. 50C Safeguards for automated decision-making
  63. 50D Further provision about automated decision-making
  64. 51 Exercise of rights through the Commission
  65. 52 Form of provision of information etc
  66. 53 Manifestly unfounded or excessive requests by the data subject
  67. 54 Meaning of “applicable time period”
  68. 55 Overview and scope
  69. 56 General obligations of the controller
  70. 57 Data protection by design and default
  71. 58 Joint controllers
  72. 59 Processors
  73. 60 Processing under the authority of the controller or processor
  74. 61 Records of processing activities
  75. 62 Logging
  76. 63 Co-operation with the Commission
  77. 64 Data protection impact assessment
  78. 65 Prior consultation with the Commission
  79. 66 Security of processing
  80. 67 Notification of a personal data breach to the Commission
  81. 68 Communication of a personal data breach to the data subject
  82. 69 Designation of a data protection officer
  83. 70 Position of data protection officer
  84. 71 Tasks of data protection officer
  85. 71A Codes of conduct
  86. 72 Overview and interpretation
  87. 73 General principles for transfers of personal data
  88. 74 Transfers on the basis of an adequacy decision
  89. 74A Transfers based on adequacy regulations
  90. 74AA Transfers approved by regulations
  91. 74AB The data protection test
  92. 74B Transfers approved by regulations: monitoring
  93. 75 Transfers subject to appropriate safeguards
  94. 76 Transfers based on special circumstances
  95. 77 Additional conditions for transfers in reliance on section 73(4)(b)
  96. 78 Subsequent transfers
  97. 78A National security exemption
  98. 79 National security: certificate
  99. 80 Special processing restrictions
  100. 81 Reporting of infringements
  101. 82 Processing to which this Part applies
  102. 82A Designation of processing by a qualifying competent authority
  103. 82B Duration of designation notice
  104. 82C Review and withdrawal of designation notice
  105. 82D Records of designation notices
  106. 82E Appeal against designation notice
  107. 83 Meaning of “controller” and “processor”
  108. 84 Other definitions
  109. 85 Overview
  110. 86 The first data protection principle
  111. 87 The second data protection principle
  112. 88 The third data protection principle
  113. 89 The fourth data protection principle
  114. 90 The fifth data protection principle
  115. 91 The sixth data protection principle
  116. 91A Further provision about sensitive processing
  117. 92 Overview
  118. 93 Right to information
  119. 94 Right of access
  120. 95 Right of access: supplementary
  121. 96 Right not to be subject to automated decision-making
  122. 97 Right to intervene in automated decision-making
  123. 98 Right to information about decision-making
  124. 99 Right to object to processing
  125. 100 Rights to rectification and erasure
  126. 101 Overview
  127. 102 General obligations of the controller
  128. 103 Data protection by design
  129. 104 Joint controllers
  130. 105 Processors
  131. 106 Processing under the authority of the controller or processor
  132. 107 Security of processing
  133. 108 Communication of a personal data breach
  134. 109 Transfers of personal data outside the United Kingdom
  135. 110 National security
  136. 111 National security: certificate
  137. 112 Other exemptions
  138. 113 Power to make further exemptions
  139. 114 The Information Commissioner
  140. 114A The Information Commission
  141. 115 General functions under the UK GDPR and safeguards
  142. 116 Other general functions
  143. 117 Competence in relation to courts etc
  144. 118 Co-operation between parties to the Data Protection Convention
  145. 119 Inspection of personal data in accordance with international obligations
  146. 119A Standard clauses for transfers to third countries etc
  147. 120 Further international role
  148. 120A Principal objective
  149. 120B Duties in relation to functions under the data protection legislation
  150. 120C Strategy
  151. 120D Duty to consult other regulators
  152. 121 Data-sharing code
  153. 122 Direct marketing code
  154. 123 Age-appropriate design code
  155. 124 Data protection and journalism code
  156. 124A Other codes of practice
  157. 124B Panels to consider codes of practice
  158. 124C Impact assessments for codes of practice
  159. 125 Approval of codes prepared under sections 121 to 124A
  160. 126 Publication and review of codes issued under section 125(4)
  161. 127 Effect of codes issued under section 125(4)
  162. 128 Other codes of practice
  163. 129 Consensual audits
  164. 130 Records of national security certificates
  165. 131 Disclosure of information to the Commission
  166. 132 Confidentiality of information
  167. 133 Guidance about privileged communications
  168. 134 Fees for services
  169. 135 Manifestly unfounded or excessive requests by data subjects etc
  170. 136 Guidance about fees
  171. 137 Charges payable to the Commission by controllers
  172. 138 Regulations under section 137: supplementary
  173. 139 Reporting to Parliament
  174. 139A Analysis of performance
  175. 140 Publication by the Commission
  176. 141 Notices from the Commissioner
  177. 141A Notices from the Commission
  178. 142 Information notices
  179. 143 Information notices: restrictions
  180. 144 False statements made in response to information notices
  181. 145 Information orders
  182. 146 Assessment notices
  183. 146A Assessment notices: approval of person to prepare report etc
  184. 147 Assessment notices: restrictions
  185. 148 Destroying or falsifying information and documents etc
  186. 148A Interview notices
  187. 148B Interview notices: restrictions
  188. 148C False statements made in response to interview notices
  189. 149 Enforcement notices
  190. 150 Enforcement notices: supplementary
  191. 151 Enforcement notices: rectification and erasure of personal data etc
  192. 152 Enforcement notices: restrictions
  193. 153 Enforcement notices: cancellation and variation
  194. 154 Powers of entry and inspection
  195. 155 Penalty notices
  196. 156 Penalty notices: restrictions
  197. 157 Maximum amount of penalty
  198. 158 Fixed penalties for non-compliance with charges regulations
  199. 159 Amount of penalties: supplementary
  200. 160 Guidance about regulatory action
  201. 161 Approval of first guidance about regulatory action
  202. 161A Annual report on regulatory action
  203. 162 Rights of appeal
  204. 163 Determination of appeals
  205. 164 Applications in respect of urgent notices
  206. 164A Complaints by data subjects to controllers
  207. 164B Controllers to notify the Commission of the number of complaints
  208. 165 Complaints by data subjects to the Commission
  209. 166 Orders to progress complaints to the Commission
  210. 167 Compliance orders
  211. 168 Compensation for contravention of the UK GDPR
  212. 169 Compensation for contravention of other data protection legislation
  213. 170 Unlawful obtaining etc of personal data
  214. 171 Re-identification of de-identified personal data
  215. 172 Re-identification: effectiveness testing conditions
  216. 173 Alteration etc of personal data to prevent disclosure to data subject
  217. 174 The special purposes
  218. 175 Provision of assistance in special purposes proceedings
  219. 176 Staying special purposes proceedings
  220. 177 Guidance about how to seek redress against media organisations
  221. 178 Review of processing of personal data for the purposes of journalism
  222. 179 Effectiveness of the media's dispute resolution procedures
  223. 180 Jurisdiction
  224. 180A Procedure in connection with subject access requests
  225. 181 Interpretation of Part 6
  226. 182 Regulations and consultation
  227. 183 Power to reflect changes to the Data Protection Convention
  228. 183A Protection of prohibitions and restrictions etc on processing: relevant enactments
  229. 183B Protection of prohibitions and restrictions etc on processing: other enactments
  230. 184 Prohibition of requirement to produce relevant records
  231. 185 Avoidance of certain contractual terms relating to health records
  232. 186 Protection of data subject’s rights
  233. 186A Protection of data subject’s rights: further provision
  234. 187 Representation of data subjects with their authority
  235. 188 Representation of data subjects with their authority: collective proceedings
  236. 189 Duty to review provision for representation of data subjects
  237. 190 Post-review powers to make provision about representation of data subjects
  238. 191 Framework for Data Processing by Government
  239. 192 Approval of the Framework
  240. 193 Publication and review of the Framework
  241. 194 Effect of the Framework
  242. 195 Reserve forces: data-sharing by HMRC
  243. 196 Penalties for offences
  244. 197 Prosecution
  245. 198 Liability of directors etc
  246. 199 Recordable offences
  247. 200 Guidance about PACE codes of practice
  248. 201 Disclosure of information to the Tribunal
  249. 202 Proceedings in the First-tier Tribunal: contempt
  250. 203 Tribunal Procedure Rules
  251. 204 Meaning of “health professional” and “social work professional”
  252. 205 General interpretation
  253. 206 Index of defined expressions
  254. 207 Territorial application of this Act
  255. 208 Children in Scotland
  256. 209 Application to the Crown
  257. 210 Application to Parliament
  258. 211 Minor and consequential provision
  259. 212 Commencement
  260. 213 Transitional provision
  261. 214 Extent
  262. 215 Short title
  263. Schedule A1 Processing in reliance on relevant international law
  264. SCHEDULE 1 Special categories of personal data and criminal convictions etc data
  265. SCHEDULE 2 Exemptions etc from the UK GDPR
  266. SCHEDULE 3 Exemptions etc from the UK GDPR: health, social work, education and child abuse data
  267. SCHEDULE 4 Exemptions etc from the UK GDPR: disclosure prohibited or restricted by an enactment
  268. SCHEDULE 5 Accreditation of certification providers: reviews and appeals
  269. SCHEDULE 7 Competent authorities
  270. SCHEDULE 8 Conditions for sensitive processing under Part 3
  271. SCHEDULE 9 Conditions for processing under Part 4
  272. SCHEDULE 10 Conditions for sensitive processing under Part 4
  273. SCHEDULE 11 Other exemptions under Part 4
  274. Schedule 12A The Information Commission
  275. SCHEDULE 13 Other general functions of the Commission
  276. SCHEDULE 14 Co-operation and mutual assistance
  277. SCHEDULE 15 Powers of entry and inspection
  278. SCHEDULE 16 Penalties
  279. SCHEDULE 17 Review of processing of personal data for the purposes of journalism
  280. SCHEDULE 18 Relevant records
  281. SCHEDULE 19 Minor and consequential amendments
  282. SCHEDULE 20 Transitional provision etc
  283. SCHEDULE 21 Further transitional provision etc

Proposed changes to this act

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283 provisions

Title and introductory text

Data Protection Act 2018 2018 c. 12 An Act to make provision for the regulation of the processing of information relating to individuals; to make provision in connection with the Information Commissioner's functions under certain regulations relating to information; to make provision for a direct marketing code of practice; and for connected purposes. [23rd May 2018] Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

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1 Overview

(1) This Act makes provision about the processing of personal data. (2) Most processing of personal data is subject to the UK GDPR. (3) Part 2 supplements the UK GDPR. (4) Part 3 makes provision about the processing of personal data by competent authorities for law enforcement purposes .... (5) Part 4 makes provision about the processing of personal data by the intelligence services (and certain processing carried out by competent authorities jointly with the intelligence services). (6) Part 5 makes provision about the Information Commission. (7) Part 6 makes provision about the enforcement of the data protection legislation. (8) Part 7 makes supplementary provision, including provision about the application of this Act to the Crown and to Parliament.

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2 Protection of personal data

(1) The UK GDPR and this Act protect individuals with regard to the processing of personal data, in particular by— (a) requiring personal data to be processed lawfully and fairly, on the basis of the data subject's consent or another specified basis, (b) conferring rights on the data subject to obtain information about the processing of personal data and to require inaccurate personal data to be rectified, and (c) conferring functions on the Commission, giving it responsibility for monitoring and enforcing their provisions. (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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3 Terms relating to the processing of personal data

(1) This section defines some terms used in this Act. (2) “Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable living individual (subject to subsection (14)(c)). (3) “Identifiable living individual” means a living individual who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to— (a) an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data or an online identifier, or (b) one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of the individual. (4) “Processing”, in relation to information, means an operation or set of operations which is performed on information, or on sets of information, such as— (a) collection, recording, organisation, structuring or storage, (b) adaptation or alteration, (c) retrieval, consultation or use, (d) disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, (e) alignment or combination, or (f) restriction, erasure or destruction, (subject to subsection (14)(c) and sections 5(7), 29(2) and 82(3), which make provision about references to processing in the different Parts of this Act). (5) “Data subject” means the identified or identifiable living individual to whom personal data relates. (6) “Controller” and “processor”, in relation to the processing of personal data to which ... Part 2, Part 3 or Part 4 applies, have the same meaning as in that ... Part (see sections 5, 6, 32 and 83 and see also subsection (14)(d)). (7) “Filing system” means any structured set of personal data which is accessible according to specific criteria, whether held by automated means or manually and whether centralised, decentralised or dispersed on a functional or geographical basis. (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (8A) “The Commission” means the Information Commission (see section 114A). (9) “The data protection legislation” means— (a) the UK GDPR, (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (c) this Act, and (d) regulations made under this Act or the UK GDPR, ... (e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (10) “The UK GDPR” means Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation), as it forms part of the law of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland by virtue of section 3 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (and see section 205(4)). (10A) “The EU GDPR” means Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27th April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (General Data Protection Regulation) as it has effect in EU law. (11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (12) “The Law Enforcement Directive” means Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Council Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA. (13) “The Data Protection Convention” means the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data which was opened for signature on 28 January 1981, as amended up to the day on which this Act is passed. (14) In Parts 5 to 7, except where otherwise provided— (a) references to the UK GDPR are to the UK GDPR read with Part 2; (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (c) references to personal data, and the processing of personal data, are to personal data and processing to which ... Part 2, Part 3 or Part 4 applies; (d) references to a controller or processor are to a controller or processor in relation to the processing of personal data to which ... Part 2, Part 3 or Part 4 applies. (15) There is an index of defined expressions in section 206.

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4 Processing to which this Part applies

(1) This Part is relevant to most processing of personal data. (2) This Part— (a) applies to the types of processing of personal data to which the UK GDPR applies by virtue of Article 2 of the UK GDPR, and (b) supplements, and must be read with, the UK GDPR. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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5 Definitions

(1) Terms used in ... this Part and in the UK GDPR have the same meaning in this Part as they have in the UK GDPR. (2) In subsection (1), the reference to a term's meaning in the UK GDPR is to its meaning in the UK GDPR read with any provision of this Part which modifies the term's meaning for the purposes of the UK GDPR. (3) Subsection (1) is subject to any provision in this Part which provides expressly for the term to have a different meaning and to section 204. (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (7) A reference in ... this Part to the processing of personal data is to processing to which this Part applies. (8) Sections 3 and 205 include definitions of other expressions used in this Part.

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6 Meaning of “controller”

(1) The definition of “controller” in Article 4(1)(7) of the UK GDPR has effect subject to— (a) subsection (2), (b) section 209, and (c) section 210. (2) For the purposes of the UK GDPR, where personal data is processed only— (a) for purposes for which it is required by an enactment to be processed, and (b) by means by which it is required by an enactment to be processed, the person on whom the obligation to process the data is imposed by the enactment (or, if different, one of the enactments) is the controller.

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7 Meaning of “public authority” and “public body”

(1) For the purposes of the UK GDPR, the following (and only the following) are “public authorities” and “public bodies” ...— (a) a public authority as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, (b) a Scottish public authority as defined by the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 13), (ba) the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, and (c) an authority or body specified or described by the Secretary of State in regulations, subject to subsections (2), (3) and (4). (2) An authority or body that falls within subsection (1) is only a “public authority” or “public body” for the purposes of the UK GDPR when performing a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in it. (3) The references in subsection (1)(a) and (b) to public authorities and Scottish public authorities as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 13) do not include any of the following that fall within those definitions— (a) a parish council in England; (b) a community council in Wales; (c) a community council in Scotland; (d) a parish meeting constituted under section 13 of the Local Government Act 1972; (e) a community meeting constituted under section 27 of that Act; (f) charter trustees constituted— (i) under section 246 of that Act, (ii) under Part 1 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or (iii) by the Charter Trustees Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996/263). (4) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that a person specified or described in the regulations that is a public authority described or mentioned in subsection (1)(a), (b) or (ba) is not a “public authority” or “public body” for the purposes of the UK GDPR. (5) Regulations under this section are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

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8 Lawfulness of processing: public interest etc

In Article 6(1) of the UK GDPR (lawfulness of processing), the reference in point (e) to processing of personal data that is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of ... official authority includes processing of personal data that is necessary for— (a) the administration of justice, (b) the exercise of a function of either House of Parliament, (c) the exercise of a function conferred on a person by an enactment or rule of law, (d) the exercise of a function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown or a government department, or (e) an activity that supports or promotes democratic engagement.

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9 Child's consent in relation to information society services

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9A Processing in reliance on relevant international law

(1) Processing of personal data meets the requirement in Article 6(3), 8A(3)(e), 9(2)(g) or 10(1) of the UK GDPR for a basis in, or authorisation by, relevant international law only if it meets a condition in Schedule A1. (2) A condition in Schedule A1 may be relied on for the purposes of any of those provisions, unless that Schedule provides otherwise. (3) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend Schedule A1 by adding, varying or omitting— (a) conditions, (b) provision about the purposes for which a condition may be relied on, and (c) safeguards in connection with processing carried out in reliance on a condition in the Schedule. (4) Regulations under this section may only add a condition relating entirely or partly to a treaty ratified by the United Kingdom. (5) Regulations under this section are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure. (6) In this section, “treaty” and “ratified” have the same meaning as in Part 2 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (see section 25 of that Act).

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10 Special categories of personal data and criminal convictions etc data

(1) Subsections (2) and (3) make provision about the processing of personal data described in Article 9(1) of the UK GDPR (prohibition on processing of special categories of personal data) in reliance on an exception in one of the following points of Article 9(2)— (a) point (b) (employment, social security and social protection); (b) point (g) (substantial public interest); (c) point (h) (health and social care); (d) point (i) (public health); (e) point (j) (archiving, research and statistics). (2) The processing meets the requirement in point (b), (h), (i) or (j) of Article 9(2) of the UK GDPR for authorisation by, or a basis in, the law of the United Kingdom or a part of the United Kingdom only if it meets a condition in Part 1 of Schedule 1. (3) The processing meets the requirement in point (g) of Article 9(2) of the UK GDPR for a basis in the law of the United Kingdom or a part of the United Kingdom only if it meets a condition in Part 2 of Schedule 1. (4) Subsection (5) makes provision about the processing of personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences or related security measures that is not carried out under the control of official authority. (5) The processing meets the requirement in Article 10(1) of the UK GDPR for authorisation by the law of the United Kingdom or a part of the United Kingdom only if it meets a condition in Part 1, 2 or 3 of Schedule 1. (6) The Secretary of State may by regulations— (a) amend Schedule 1— (i) by adding or varying conditions or safeguards, and (ii) by omitting conditions or safeguards added by regulations under this section, and (b) consequentially amend this section. (7) Regulations under this section are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

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11 Special categories of personal data etc: supplementary

(1) For the purposes of Article 9(2)(h) of the UK GDPR (processing for health or social care purposes etc), the circumstances in which the processing of personal data is carried out subject to the conditions and safeguards referred to in Article 9(3) of the UK GDPR (obligation of secrecy) include circumstances in which it is carried out— (a) by or under the responsibility of a health professional or a social work professional, or (b) by another person who in the circumstances owes a duty of confidentiality under an enactment or rule of law. (2) In Article 10 of the UK GDPR and section 10, references to personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences or related security measures include personal data relating to— (a) the alleged commission of offences by the data subject, or (b) proceedings for an offence committed or alleged to have been committed by the data subject or the disposal of such proceedings, including sentencing.

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12 Limits on fees that may be charged by controllers

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations specify limits on the fees that a controller may charge in reliance on— (a) Article 12(5) of the UK GDPR (reasonable fees when responding to manifestly unfounded or excessive requests), or (b) Article 15(3) of the UK GDPR (reasonable fees for provision of further copies). (2) The Secretary of State may by regulations— (a) require controllers of a description specified in the regulations to produce and publish guidance about the fees that they charge in reliance on those provisions, and (b) specify what the guidance must include. (3) Regulations under this section are subject to the negative resolution procedure.

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13 Obligations of credit reference agencies

(1) This section applies where a controller is a credit reference agency (within the meaning of section 145(8) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974). (2) The controller's obligations under Article 15(1) to (3) of the UK GDPR (confirmation of processing, access to data and safeguards for third country transfers) are taken to apply only to personal data relating to the data subject's financial standing, unless the data subject has indicated a contrary intention. (3) Where the controller discloses personal data in pursuance of Article 15(1) to (3) of the UK GDPR, the disclosure must be accompanied by a statement informing the data subject of the data subject's rights under section 159 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (correction of wrong information).

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13A Meaning of “relevant offence” for purpose of right to erasure

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend the table in Article 17(5) of the UK GDPR. (2) Regulations under this section are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

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14 Automated decision-making authorised by law: safeguards

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15 Exemptions etc

(1) Schedules 2, 3 and 4 make provision for exemptions from, and restrictions and adaptations of the application of, rules of the UK GDPR. (2) In Schedule 2— (a) Part 1 makes provision adapting or restricting the application of rules contained in Articles 13 to 21 and 34 of the UK GDPR in specified circumstances (of a kind described in Article 6(3) and Article 23(1) of the UK GDPR); (b) Part 2 makes provision restricting the application of rules contained in Articles 13 to 21 and 34 of the UK GDPR in specified circumstances (of a kind described in Article 23(1) of the UK GDPR); (c) Part 3 makes provision restricting the application of Article 15 of the UK GDPR where this is necessary to protect the rights of others (of a kind described in Article 23(1) of the UK GDPR); (d) Part 4 makes provision restricting the application of rules contained in Articles 13 to 15 of the UK GDPR in specified circumstances (of a kind described in Article 23(1) of the UK GDPR); (e) Part 5 makes provision containing exemptions or derogations from Chapters II, III, IV and V of the UK GDPR for reasons relating to freedom of expression (of a kind described in Article 85(2) of the UK GDPR); (f) Part 6 makes provision containing derogations from rights contained in Articles 15, 16, 18, 19, 20 and 21 of the UK GDPR for scientific or historical research purposes, statistical purposes and archiving purposes .... (3) Schedule 3 makes provision restricting the application of rules contained in Articles 13 to 21 of the UK GDPR to health, social work, education and child abuse data (of a kind described in Article 23(1) of the UK GDPR). (4) Schedule 4 makes provision restricting the application of rules contained in Articles 13 to 21 of the UK GDPR to information the disclosure of which is prohibited or restricted by an enactment (of a kind described in Article 23(1) of the UK GDPR). (4A) In connection with the manual unstructured processing of personal data held by an FOI public authority, see Chapter 3 of this Part (sections 21, 24 and 25). (5) In connection with the safeguarding of national security and with defence, see Chapter 3 of this Part (sections 26 to 28).

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16 Power to make further exemptions etc by regulations

(1) The following powers to make provision altering the application of the UK GDPR may be exercised by way of regulations made by the Secretary of State under this section— (a) the power in Article 6(3) ... to lay down a legal basis containing specific provisions to adapt the application of rules of the UK GDPR where processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation, for the performance of a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority; (b) the power in Article 23(1) to make provision restricting the scope of the obligations and rights mentioned in that Article where necessary and proportionate to safeguard certain objectives of general public interest; (c) the power in Article 85(2) to provide for exemptions or derogations from certain Chapters of the UK GDPR where necessary to reconcile the protection of personal data with the freedom of expression and information. (2) Regulations under this section may— (a) amend Schedules 2 to 4— (i) by adding or varying provisions, and (ii) by omitting provisions added by regulations under this section, ... (b) consequentially amend section 15 , and (c) consequentially amend the UK GDPR by adding, varying or omitting a reference to section 15, Schedule 2, 3 or 4, this section or regulations under this section. (3) Regulations under this section are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

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17 Accreditation of certification providers

(1) Accreditation of a person as a certification provider is only valid when carried out by— (a) the Commission, or (b) the UK national accreditation body. (2) The Commission may only accredit a person as a certification provider where the Commission— (a) has published a statement that the Commission will carry out such accreditation, and (b) has not published a notice withdrawing that statement. (3) The UK national accreditation body may only accredit a person as a certification provider where the Commission— (a) has published a statement that the body may carry out such accreditation, and (b) has not published a notice withdrawing that statement. (4) The publication of a notice under subsection (2)(b) or (3)(b) does not affect the validity of any accreditation carried out before its publication. (5) Schedule 5 makes provision about reviews of, and appeals from, a decision relating to accreditation of a person as a certification provider. (6) The UK national accreditation body may charge a reasonable fee in connection with, or incidental to, the carrying out of the body's functions under this section, Schedule 5 and Article 43 of the UK GDPR. (7) The UK national accreditation body must provide the Secretary of State with such information relating to its functions under this section, Schedule 5 and Article 43 of the UK GDPR as the Secretary of State may reasonably require. (8) In this section— “certification provider” means a person who issues certification for the purposes of Article 42 of the UK GDPR; “the UK national accreditation body” means the UK national accreditation body for the purposes of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance relating to the marketing of products and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 339/93.

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17A Transfers based on adequacy regulations

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17B Transfers based on adequacy regulations: review etc

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17C Standard data protection clauses

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18 Transfers of personal data to third countries etc : public interest

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19 Processing for archiving, research and statistical purposes: safeguards

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20 Meaning of “court”

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21 Definitions

(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (5) In this Chapter, “FOI public authority” means— (a) a public authority as defined in the Freedom of Information Act 2000, ... (b) a Scottish public authority as defined in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 13) , or (c) the Advanced Research and Invention Agency. (6) References in this Chapter to personal data “held” by an FOI public authority are to be interpreted— (a) in relation to England and Wales and Northern Ireland, in accordance with section 3(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and (b) in relation to Scotland, in accordance with section 3(2), (4) and (5) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 13), but such references do not include information held by an intelligence service (as defined in section 82) on behalf of an FOI public authority. (7) But personal data is not to be treated as “held” by an FOI public authority for the purposes of this Chapter, where— (a) section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 prevents Parts 1 to 5 of that Act from applying to the personal data, or (b) section 7(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 13) prevents that Act from applying to the personal data. (8) In relation to the Advanced Research and Invention Agency— (a) for the purposes of subsection (6)(a)— (i) section 3(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is to be read as if “public authority” included that Agency, and (ii) section 3(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 13) is to be read as if “authority” included that Agency, and (b) subsection (7) does not apply.

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22 Application of the GDPR to processing to which this Chapter applies

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23 Power to make provision in consequence of regulations related to the GDPR

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24 Manual unstructured data held by FOI public authorities

(1) The provisions of the UK GDPR and this Act listed in subsection (2) do not apply to personal data to which the UK GDPR applies by virtue of Article 2(1A) (manual unstructured personal data held by FOI public authorities). (2) Those provisions are— (a) in Chapter II of the UK GDPR (principles)— (i) Article 5(1)(a) to (c), (e) and (f) (principles relating to processing, other than the accuracy principle), (ii) Article 6 (lawfulness), (iii) Article 7 (conditions for consent), (iv) Article 8(1) and (2) (child's consent), (v) Article 9 (processing of special categories of personal data), (vi) Article 10 (data relating to criminal convictions etc), and (vii) Article 11(2) (processing not requiring identification); (b) in Chapter III of the UK GDPR (rights of the data subject)— (i) Article 13(1) to (3) (personal data collected from data subject: information to be provided), (ii) Article 14(1) to (4) (personal data collected other than from data subject: information to be provided), (iii) Article 20 (right to data portability), and (iv) Article 21(1) (objections to processing); (c) in Chapter V of the UK GDPR, Articles 44A to 49A (transfers of personal data to third countries or international organisations); (ca) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (cb) in Part 5 of this Act, section 119A (standard clauses for transfers to third countries); (d) in Part 7 of this Act, sections 170 and 171 (offences relating to personal data). (see also paragraph 1(2) of Schedule 18). (3) In addition, the provisions of the UK GDPR listed in subsection (4) do not apply to personal data to which the UK GDPR applies by virtue of Article 2(1A) where the personal data relates to appointments, removals, pay, discipline, superannuation or other personnel matters in relation to— (a) service in any of the armed forces of the Crown; (b) service in any office or employment under the Crown or under any public authority; (c) service in any office or employment, or under any contract for services, in respect of which power to take action, or to determine or approve the action taken, in such matters is vested in— (i) Her Majesty, (ii) a Minister of the Crown, (iii) the National Assembly for Wales, (iv) the Welsh Ministers, (v) a Northern Ireland Minister (within the meaning of the Freedom of Information Act 2000), or (vi) an FOI public authority. (4) Those provisions are— (a) the remaining provisions of Chapters II and III (principles and rights of the data subject); (b) Chapter IV (controller and processor); (ba) Chapter 8A (safeguards for processing for research, archiving or statistical purposes); (c) Chapter IX (specific processing situations). (5) A controller is not obliged to comply with Article 15(1) to (3) of the UK GDPR (right of access by the data subject) in relation to personal data to which the UK GDPR applies by virtue of Article 2(1A) if— (a) the request under Article 15 does not contain a description of the personal data, or (b) the controller estimates that the cost of complying with the request so far as relating to the personal data would exceed the appropriate maximum. (6) Subsection (5)(b) does not remove the controller's obligation to confirm whether or not personal data concerning the data subject is being processed unless the estimated cost of complying with that obligation alone in relation to the personal data would exceed the appropriate maximum. (7) An estimate for the purposes of this section must be made in accordance with regulations under section 12(5) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. (8) In subsections (5) and (6), “the appropriate maximum” means the maximum amount specified by the Secretary of State by regulations. (9) Regulations under subsection (8) are subject to the negative resolution procedure.

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25 Manual unstructured data used in longstanding historical research

(1) The provisions of the UK GDPR listed in subsection (2) do not apply to personal data to which the UK GDPR applies by virtue of Article 2(1A) (manual unstructured personal data held by FOI public authorities) at any time when— (a) the personal data— (i) is subject to processing which was already underway immediately before 24 October 1998, and (ii) is processed only for the purposes of historical research, and (b) the processing is not carried out— (i) for the purposes of measures or decisions with respect to a particular data subject, or (ii) in a way that causes, or is likely to cause, substantial damage or substantial distress to a data subject. (2) Those provisions are— (a) in Chapter II ...(principles), Article 5(1)(d) (the accuracy principle), and (b) in Chapter III ... (rights of the data subject)— (i) Article 16 (right to rectification), and (ii) Article 17(1) and (2) (right to erasure). (3) The exemptions in this section apply in addition to the exemptions in section 24.

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26 National security and defence exemption

(1) A provision of the UK GDPR or this Act mentioned in subsection (2) does not apply to personal data to which the UK GDPR applies if exemption from the provision is required for— (a) the purpose of safeguarding national security, or (b) defence purposes. (2) The provisions are— (a) Chapter II of the UK GDPR (principles) except for— (i) Article 5(1)(a) (lawful, fair and transparent processing), so far as it requires processing of personal data to be lawful; (ii) Article 6 (lawfulness of processing); (iii) Article 9 (processing of special categories of personal data); (b) Chapter III of the UK GDPR (rights of data subjects); (c) in Chapter IV of the UK GDPR— (i) Article 33 (notification of personal data breach to the Commission); (ii) Article 34 (communication of personal data breach to the data subject); (d) Chapter V of the UK GDPR (transfers of personal data to third countries or international organisations); (e) in Chapter VI of the UK GDPR— (i) Article 57(1)(a) and (h) ( Commission's duties to monitor and enforce the UK GDPR and to conduct investigations); (ii) Article 58 (investigative, corrective, authorisation and advisory powers of Commission); (f) Chapter VIII of the UK GDPR (remedies, liabilities and penalties) except for— (ai) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (i) Article 83 (general conditions for imposing administrative fines); (ii) Article 84 (penalties); (fa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (g) in Part 5 of this Act— (i) in section 115 (general functions of the Commission), subsections (3) and (8); (ii) in section 115, subsection (9), so far as it relates to Article 58(2)(i) of the UK GDPR; (iii) section 119 (inspection in accordance with international obligations); (iv) section 119A (standard clauses for transfers to third countries); (h) in Part 6 of this Act— (i) sections 142 to 154 and Schedule 15 ( Commission notices and powers of entry and inspection); (ii) sections 170 to 173 (offences relating to personal data); (i) in Part 7 of this Act, section 187 (representation of data subjects).

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27 National security: certificate

(1) Subject to subsection (3), a certificate signed by a Minister of the Crown certifying that exemption from all or any of the provisions listed in section 26(2) is, or at any time was, required in relation to any personal data for the purpose of safeguarding national security is conclusive evidence of that fact. (2) A certificate under subsection (1)— (a) may identify the personal data to which it applies by means of a general description, and (b) may be expressed to have prospective effect. (3) Any person directly affected by a certificate under subsection (1) may appeal to the Tribunal against the certificate. (4) If, on an appeal under subsection (3), the Tribunal finds that, applying the principles applied by a court on an application for judicial review, the Minister did not have reasonable grounds for issuing a certificate, the Tribunal may— (a) allow the appeal, and (b) quash the certificate. (5) Where, in any proceedings under or by virtue of the UK GDPR or this Act, it is claimed by a controller that a certificate under subsection (1) which identifies the personal data to which it applies by means of a general description applies to any personal data, another party to the proceedings may appeal to the Tribunal on the ground that the certificate does not apply to the personal data in question. (6) But, subject to any determination under subsection (7), the certificate is to be conclusively presumed so to apply. (7) On an appeal under subsection (5), the Tribunal may determine that the certificate does not so apply. (8) A document purporting to be a certificate under subsection (1) is to be— (a) received in evidence, and (b) deemed to be such a certificate unless the contrary is proved. (9) A document which purports to be certified by or on behalf of a Minister of the Crown as a true copy of a certificate issued by that Minister under subsection (1) is— (a) in any legal proceedings, evidence of that certificate; (b) in any legal proceedings in Scotland, sufficient evidence of that certificate. (10) The power conferred by subsection (1) on a Minister of the Crown is exercisable only by— (a) a Minister who is a member of the Cabinet, or (b) the Attorney General or the Advocate General for Scotland.

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28 National security and defence: modifications to Articles 9 and 32 of the UK GDPR

(1) Article 9(1) of the UK GDPR (prohibition on processing of special categories of personal data) does not prohibit the processing of personal data to which the UK GDPR applies to the extent that the processing is carried out— (a) for the purpose of safeguarding national security or for defence purposes, and (b) with appropriate safeguards for the rights and freedoms of data subjects. (2) Article 32 of the UK GDPR (security of processing) does not apply to a controller or processor to the extent that the controller or the processor (as the case may be) is processing personal data to which the UK GDPR applies for— (a) the purpose of safeguarding national security, or (b) defence purposes. (3) Where Article 32 of the UK GDPR does not apply, the controller or the processor must implement security measures appropriate to the risks arising from the processing of the personal data. (4) For the purposes of subsection (3), where the processing of personal data is carried out wholly or partly by automated means, the controller or the processor must, following an evaluation of the risks, implement measures designed to— (a) prevent unauthorised processing or unauthorised interference with the systems used in connection with the processing, (b) ensure that it is possible to establish the precise details of any processing that takes place, (c) ensure that any systems used in connection with the processing function properly and may, in the case of interruption, be restored, and (d) ensure that stored personal data cannot be corrupted if a system used in connection with the processing malfunctions. (5) The functions conferred on the Commission in relation to the UK GDPR by Articles 57(1)(a), (d), (e), (h) and (u) and 58(1)(d) and (2)(a) to (d) of the UK GDPR (which are subject to safeguards set out in section 115) include functions in relation to subsection (3).

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29 Processing to which this Part applies

(1) This Part applies to— (a) the processing by a competent authority of personal data wholly or partly by automated means, and (b) the processing by a competent authority otherwise than by automated means of personal data which forms part of a filing system or is intended to form part of a filing system. (1A) This Part does not apply to processing to which Part 4 applies by virtue of a designation notice (see section 82A). (2) Any reference in this Part to the processing of personal data is to processing to which this Part applies. (3) For the meaning of “competent authority”, see section 30.

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30 Meaning of “competent authority”

(1) In this Part, “competent authority” means— (a) a person specified or described in Schedule 7, and (b) any other person if and to the extent that the person has statutory functions for any of the law enforcement purposes. (2) But an intelligence service is not a competent authority within the meaning of this Part. (3) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend Schedule 7— (a) so as to add or remove a person or description of person; (b) so as to reflect any change in the name of a person specified in the Schedule. (4) Regulations under subsection (3) which make provision of the kind described in subsection (3)(a) may also make consequential amendments of section 73(4)(b). (5) Regulations under subsection (3) which make provision of the kind described in subsection (3)(a), or which make provision of that kind and of the kind described in subsection (3)(b), are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure. (6) Regulations under subsection (3) which make provision only of the kind described in subsection (3)(b) are subject to the negative resolution procedure. (7) In this section— “intelligence service” means— the Security Service; the Secret Intelligence Service; the Government Communications Headquarters; “statutory function” means a function under or by virtue of an enactment.

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31 “The law enforcement purposes”

For the purposes of this Part, “the law enforcement purposes” are the purposes of the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties, including the safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public security.

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32 Meaning of “controller” and “processor”

(1) In this Part, “controller” means the competent authority which, alone or jointly with others— (a) determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data, or (b) is the controller by virtue of subsection (2). (2) Where personal data is processed only— (a) for purposes for which it is required by an enactment to be processed, and (b) by means by which it is required by an enactment to be processed, the competent authority on which the obligation to process the data is imposed by the enactment (or, if different, one of the enactments) is the controller. (3) In this Part, “processor” means any person who processes personal data on behalf of the controller (other than a person who is an employee of the controller).

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33 Other definitions

(1) This section defines certain other expressions used in this Part. (1A) “Consent” of the data subject to the processing of personal data means a freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject’s wishes by which the data subject, by a statement or by a clear affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of the personal data (and see section 40A). (2) “Employee”, in relation to any person, includes an individual who holds a position (whether paid or unpaid) under the direction and control of that person. (3) “Personal data breach” means a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data transmitted, stored or otherwise processed. (4) “Profiling” means any form of automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to an individual, in particular to analyse or predict aspects concerning that individual's performance at work, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behaviour, location or movements. (5) “Recipient”, in relation to any personal data, means any person to whom the data is disclosed, whether a third party or not, but it does not include a public authority to whom disclosure is or may be made in the framework of a particular inquiry in accordance with the law. (6) “Restriction of processing” means the marking of stored personal data with the aim of limiting its processing for the future. (6A) “Sensitive processing” has the meaning given in section 35(8). (7) “Third country” means a country or territory outside the United Kingdom. (8) Sections 3 and 205 include definitions of other expressions used in this Part.

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34 Overview and general duty of controller

(1) This Chapter sets out the six data protection principles as follows— (a) section 35(1) sets out the first data protection principle (requirement that processing be lawful and fair); (b) section 36(1) sets out the second data protection principle (requirement that purposes of processing be specified, explicit and legitimate); (c) section 37 sets out the third data protection principle (requirement that personal data be adequate, relevant and not excessive); (d) section 38(1) sets out the fourth data protection principle (requirement that personal data be accurate and kept up to date); (e) section 39(1) sets out the fifth data protection principle (requirement that personal data be kept for no longer than is necessary); (f) section 40 sets out the sixth data protection principle (requirement that personal data be processed in a secure manner). (2) In addition— (a) each of sections 35, 36, 38 and 39 makes provision to supplement the principle to which it relates, (aa) section 40A makes provision about processing carried out in reliance on the consent of the data subject, and (b) sections 41 and 42 make provision about the safeguards that apply in relation to certain types of processing. (3) The controller in relation to personal data is responsible for, and must be able to demonstrate, compliance with this Chapter.

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