The IC receives more complaints than they have staff or powers to deal with.
They're always running to catch up. I went to work for them after one huge
trawl for new staff, and years later, they're still doing it. Check the
Manchester Evening News if you can, there are IC recruitment adverts every
other week sometimes. It is *our* taxes that pay for the Information
Commissioner, and it would take *even more* of those taxes to make the
Commissioner's office of sufficient size to go after everyone who
transgresses against the DPA (and FOIA, once in force).
They get a lot of legitimate complaints, and they also get pointless
complaints from people who don't understand what the IC is for. So surprise,
surprise, they don't have the time to work as well as they should. But they
would have to double in size to cope with the weight of complaints and (even
worse) expectation thrown at them. The bottom line is that this would cost a
lot of money to rectify.
I am very biased - going to the IC was the best career decision I ever made,
I enjoyed it, and I know that most of the staff are excellent people doing a
very hard job. However, I think even an objective look at their situation
shows that they are dealing with lousy legislation which no-one understands
(look at the endless debate on this list about email addresses if you want
an illustration). If they had the resources to deal with every complaint in
the way they might like to, this list would be crowded with complaints about
that instead.
Tim Turner
Data Protection Officer
Wigan Council
> ----------
> From: Tim Trent[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Reply To: Tim Trent
> Sent: 25 June 2004 11:21
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [data-protection] UKIC Understaffed?
>
> I have a very black and white view over this.
>
> This office is appointed by The Crown to oversee a law. Their job is to
> oversee and regulate it. If they do not do their job then ours becomes
> irrelevant. Thus I pursue all such things to the bitter end, involving
> all
> relevant people, including my MP, in achieving the result.
>
> I admit to being an evil swine here. But it is *my* tax that goes into
> their wage packets. SO I( am a customer and want the services I pay for.
>
>
> Tim Trent - Consultant
> Direct: +44(0)1344 392644 Mobile:+44(0)7710 126618
> email: [log in to unmask]
> Marketing Improvement Limited, Abbey House, Grenville Place, Bracknell,
> United Kingdom, RG12 1BP
> http://www.marketingimprovement.com
>
>
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tony Bowden
> Sent: Friday, June 25, 2004 11:06 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [data-protection] UKIC Understaffed?
>
> On Fri, Jun 25, 2004 at 09:00:57AM +0100, Tim Trent wrote:
> > The TICO(!) letter includes the brilliant paragraph: "I should point
> > out that we do have an amount of correspondence awaiting allocation.
> > We will, however, make every effort to give you a substantive response
> > as soon as possible."
>
> They told me explicitly that they didn't have time to ensure that one of
> the
> companies I reported as being in breach actually fixed things. I've sent
> an
> official complaint. Will be interesting to see what happens next.
>
> Tony
>
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