Data Protection Complaints Procedure
Guidance on the Department for the Economy Data Protection Complaints procedure.
How to complain about how we handle your personal data
The Department for the Economy is committed to handling your personal data in a lawful, fair and transparent manner.
If you are unhappy with how we have collected, used, shared or otherwise processed your personal data, you have the right to make a formal data protection complaint.
How to make a complaint
You can make a complaint by contacting the Department’s Data Protection Officer:
Post
Data Protection Officer
39-49 Adelaide House
Adelaide Street
Belfast
BT2 8FD
When you contact us, please provide enough information about your complaint to help us understand the issue and investigate it. This may include what has happened, when it occurred and what outcome you are seeking.
How we will handle your complaint
Your complaint will be handled in line with the Department’s data protection complaints process.
This includes:
- Acknowledging your complaint within 30 days.
- Reviewing the issues raised and, where necessary, requesting further information.
- Investigating it without undue delay, including engaging relevant business areas.
- Keeping you informed of progress where appropriate.
- Providing a clear response explaining our findings, any actions taken and the reasons for our decision.
We will respond to your complaint without undue delay. We may contact you, where necessary, to seek further information or clarification to support our investigation. If it is not possible to provide a full response promptly, due to the complexity of the issues raised, we will keep you informed and provide an updated time frame.
Receiving complaints through other channels
A data protection complaint can be raised through any channel, including via Departmental staff.
Where this occurs, your complaint will be recorded, and promptly escalated to the Data Protection Officer for formal handling.
The Department maintains records of complaints and outcomes to support accountability and continuous improvement.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office using the following contact details:
Post
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone
0303 123 1113
Website
https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/data-protection-complaints/