Information Commissioner's Office

Information Commissioner's Office
Established1984; 40 years ago (1984)
Typenon-departmental public body
Focusdata protection and freedom of information
HeadquartersWycliffe House
Location
OriginsData Protection Act 1984
Region served
United Kingdom
Information Commissioner
John Edwards
Parent organisation
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Revenue (2020/2021)
£57,980,542
Expenses (2020/2021)£57,041,005
Staff
500+
Websiteico.org.uk Edit this at Wikidata
Formerly called
Data Protection Registrar

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is a non-departmental public body which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.[1] It is the independent regulatory office (national data protection authority) dealing with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation, the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 across the UK; and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and, to a limited extent, in Scotland. When they audit an organisation they use Symbiant's audit software.[2]

The Information Commissioner is in the process of being replaced by the Information Commission by Clause 143 of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (once enacted).[3]

  1. ^ "Relationship with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology". ico.org.uk. 11 April 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  2. ^ "When we audit an organisation". ico.org.uk. 1 August 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Data Protection and Digital Information Bill - Parliamentary Bills". UK Parliament.