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Data Protection Act 1998 (c. 29)Introductory TextPart I Preliminary (ss. 1-6)1. Basic interpretative provisions2. Sensitive personal data3. The special purposes4. The data protection principles5. Application of Act6. The CommissionerPart II Rights of data subjects and others (ss. 7-15)7. Right of access to personal data8. Provisions supplementary to section 79. Application of section 7 where data controller is credit reference agency9A. Unstructured personal data held by public authorities10. Right to prevent processing likely to cause damage or distress11. Right to prevent processing for purposes of direct marketing12. Rights in relation to automated decision-taking13. Compensation for failure to comply with certain requirements14. Rectification, blocking, erasure and destruction15. Jurisdiction and procedurePart III Notification by data controllers (ss. 16-26)16. Preliminary17. Prohibition on processing without registration18. Notification by data controllers19. Register of notifications20. Duty to notify changes21. Offences22. Preliminary assessment by Commissioner23. Power to make provision for appointment of data protection supervisors24. Duty of certain data controllers to make certain information available25. Functions of Commissioner in relation to making of notification regulations26. Fees regulationsPart IV Exemptions (ss. 27-39)27. Preliminary28. National security29. Crime and taxation30. Health, education and social work31. Regulatory activity32. Journalism, literature and art33. Research, history and statistics33A. Manual data held by public authorities34. Information available to the public by or under enactment35. Disclosures required by law or made in connection with legal proceedings etc35A. Parliamentary privilege36. Domestic purposes37. Miscellaneous exemptions38. Powers to make further exemptions by order39. Transitional reliefPart V Enforcement (ss. 40-50)40. Enforcement notices41. Cancellation of enforcement notice41A. Assessment notices41B. Assessment notices: limitations41C. Code of practice about assessment notices42. Request for assessment43. Information notices44. Special information notices45. Determination by Commissioner as to the special purposes46. Restriction on enforcement in case of processing for the special purposes47. Failure to comply with notice48. Rights of appeal49. Determination of appeals50. Powers of entry and inspectionPart VI Miscellaneous and General (ss. 51-75)Functions of Commissioner (ss. 51-54A)51. General duties of Commissioner52. Reports and codes of practice to be laid before Parliament52A. Data-sharing code52B. Data-sharing and direct marketing codes: procedure52AA. Direct marketing code52C. Alteration or replacement of data-sharing and direct marketing codes52D. Publication of data-sharing and direct marketing codes52E. Effect of data-sharing and direct marketing codes53. Assistance by Commissioner in cases involving processing for the special purposes54. International co-operation54A. Inspection of overseas information systemsUnlawful obtaining etc. of personal data (s. 55)55. Unlawful obtaining etc. of personal dataMonetary penalties (ss. 55A-55E)55A. Power of Commissioner to impose monetary penalty55B. Monetary penalty notices: procedural rights55C. Guidance about monetary penalty notices55D. Monetary penalty notices: enforcement55E. Notices under sections 55A and 55B: supplementalRecords obtained under data subject's right of access (ss. 56-57)56. Prohibition of requirement as to production of certain records57. Avoidance of certain contractual terms relating to health recordsInformation provided to Commissioner or Tribunal (ss. 58-59)58. Disclosure of information59. Confidentiality of informationGeneral provisions relating to offences (ss. 60-61)60. Prosecutions and penalties61. Liability of directors etcAmendments of Consumer Credit Act 1974 (s. 62)62. Amendments of Consumer Credit Act 1974General (ss. 63-75)63. Application to Crown63A. Application to Parliament64. Transmission of notices etc. by electronic or other means65. Service of notices by Commissioner66. Exercise of rights in Scotland by children67. Orders, regulations and rules68. Meaning of "accessible record"69. Meaning of "health professional"70. Supplementary definitions71. Index of defined expressions72. Modifications of Act73. Transitional provisions and savings74. Minor and consequential amendments and repeals and revocations75. Short title, commencement and extentSchedule 1 The data protection principlesSchedule 1, Part I The principlesSchedule 1, Part II Interpretation of the principles in Part ISchedule 2 Conditions relevant for purposes of the first principle: processing of any personal dataSchedule 3 Conditions relevant for purposes of the first principle: processing of sensitive personal dataSchedule 4 Cases where the eighth principle does not applySchedule 5 The Information CommissionerSchedule 5, Part I The Commissioner (paras. 1-11)Schedule 5, Part II The Tribunal (paras. 12-15)Schedule 5, Part III Transitional provisions (paras. 16-17)Schedule 6 Appeal proceedingsSchedule 7 Miscellaneous exemptionsSchedule 8 Transitional reliefSchedule 8, Part I Interpretation of Schedule (para. 1)Schedule 8, Part II Exemptions available before 24th October 2001 (paras. 2-13)Schedule 8, Part III Exemptions available after 23rd October 2001 but before 24th October 2007 (paras. 14-14A)Schedule 8, Part IV Exemptions after 23rd October 2001 for historical research (paras. 15-18)Schedule 8, Part V Exemption from section 22 (para. 19)Schedule 9 Powers of entry and inspectionSchedule 10 Further provisions relating to assistance under section 53Schedule 11 Educational recordsSchedule 12 Accessible public recordsSchedule 13 Modifications of Act having effect before 24th October 2007Schedule 14 Transitional provisions and savingsSchedule 15 Minor and consequential amendmentsSchedule 16 Repeals and revocationsSchedule 16, Part I RepealsSchedule 16, Part II Revocations
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Version status: Partially repealed | Document consolidation status: Updated to reflect all known changes
Published date: 16 July 1998

Data Protection Act 1998 (c. 29)

There are amendments requiring commencement for this document.
Would you like to incorporate these changes?
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The Data Protection Act 1998 is repealed, with the exception of section 62 and paragraphs 13, 15, 16, 18 and 19 of Schedule 15 (which amend other enactments).

Introductory Text
Part I Preliminary (ss. 1-6)
1. Basic interpretative provisions
2. Sensitive personal data
3. The special purposes
4. The data protection principles
5. Application of Act
6. The Commissioner
Part II Rights of data subjects and others (ss. 7-15)
7. Right of access to personal data
8. Provisions supplementary to section 7
9. Application of section 7 where data controller is credit reference agency
9A. Unstructured personal data held by public authorities
10. Right to prevent processing likely to cause damage or distress
11. Right to prevent processing for purposes of direct marketing
12. Rights in relation to automated decision-taking
13. Compensation for failure to comply with certain requirements
14. Rectification, blocking, erasure and destruction
15. Jurisdiction and procedure
Part III Notification by data controllers (ss. 16-26)
16. Preliminary
17. Prohibition on processing without registration
18. Notification by data controllers
19. Register of notifications
20. Duty to notify changes
21. Offences
22. Preliminary assessment by Commissioner
23. Power to make provision for appointment of data protection supervisors
24. Duty of certain data controllers to make certain information available
25. Functions of Commissioner in relation to making of notification regulations
26. Fees regulations
Part IV Exemptions (ss. 27-39)
27. Preliminary
28. National security
29. Crime and taxation
30. Health, education and social work
31. Regulatory activity
32. Journalism, literature and art
33. Research, history and statistics
33A. Manual data held by public authorities
34. Information available to the public by or under enactment
35. Disclosures required by law or made in connection with legal proceedings etc
35A. Parliamentary privilege
36. Domestic purposes
37. Miscellaneous exemptions
38. Powers to make further exemptions by order
39. Transitional relief
Part V Enforcement (ss. 40-50)
40. Enforcement notices
41. Cancellation of enforcement notice
41A. Assessment notices
41B. Assessment notices: limitations
41C. Code of practice about assessment notices
42. Request for assessment
43. Information notices
44. Special information notices
45. Determination by Commissioner as to the special purposes
46. Restriction on enforcement in case of processing for the special purposes
47. Failure to comply with notice
48. Rights of appeal
49. Determination of appeals
50. Powers of entry and inspection
Part VI Miscellaneous and General (ss. 51-75)
Functions of Commissioner (ss. 51-54A)
51. General duties of Commissioner
52. Reports and codes of practice to be laid before Parliament
52A. Data-sharing code
52B. Data-sharing and direct marketing codes: procedure
52AA. Direct marketing code
52C. Alteration or replacement of data-sharing and direct marketing codes
52D. Publication of data-sharing and direct marketing codes
52E. Effect of data-sharing and direct marketing codes
53. Assistance by Commissioner in cases involving processing for the special purposes
54. International co-operation
54A. Inspection of overseas information systems
Unlawful obtaining etc. of personal data (s. 55)
55. Unlawful obtaining etc. of personal data
Monetary penalties (ss. 55A-55E)
55A. Power of Commissioner to impose monetary penalty
55B. Monetary penalty notices: procedural rights
55C. Guidance about monetary penalty notices
55D. Monetary penalty notices: enforcement
55E. Notices under sections 55A and 55B: supplemental
Records obtained under data subject's right of access (ss. 56-57)
56. Prohibition of requirement as to production of certain records
57. Avoidance of certain contractual terms relating to health records
Information provided to Commissioner or Tribunal (ss. 58-59)
58. Disclosure of information
59. Confidentiality of information
General provisions relating to offences (ss. 60-61)
60. Prosecutions and penalties
61. Liability of directors etc
Amendments of Consumer Credit Act 1974 (s. 62)
62. Amendments of Consumer Credit Act 1974
General (ss. 63-75)
63. Application to Crown
63A. Application to Parliament
64. Transmission of notices etc. by electronic or other means
65. Service of notices by Commissioner
66. Exercise of rights in Scotland by children
67. Orders, regulations and rules
68. Meaning of "accessible record"
69. Meaning of "health professional"
70. Supplementary definitions
71. Index of defined expressions
72. Modifications of Act
73. Transitional provisions and savings
74. Minor and consequential amendments and repeals and revocations
75. Short title, commencement and extent
Schedule 1 The data protection principles
Schedule 1, Part I The principles
Schedule 1, Part II Interpretation of the principles in Part I
Schedule 2 Conditions relevant for purposes of the first principle: processing of any personal data
Schedule 3 Conditions relevant for purposes of the first principle: processing of sensitive personal data
Schedule 4 Cases where the eighth principle does not apply
Schedule 5 The Information Commissioner
Schedule 5, Part I The Commissioner (paras. 1-11)
Schedule 5, Part II The Tribunal (paras. 12-15)
Schedule 5, Part III Transitional provisions (paras. 16-17)
Schedule 6 Appeal proceedings
Schedule 7 Miscellaneous exemptions
Schedule 8 Transitional relief
Schedule 8, Part I Interpretation of Schedule (para. 1)
Schedule 8, Part II Exemptions available before 24th October 2001 (paras. 2-13)
Schedule 8, Part III Exemptions available after 23rd October 2001 but before 24th October 2007 (paras. 14-14A)
Schedule 8, Part IV Exemptions after 23rd October 2001 for historical research (paras. 15-18)
Schedule 8, Part V Exemption from section 22 (para. 19)
Schedule 9 Powers of entry and inspection
Schedule 10 Further provisions relating to assistance under section 53
Schedule 11 Educational records
Schedule 12 Accessible public records
Schedule 13 Modifications of Act having effect before 24th October 2007
Schedule 14 Transitional provisions and savings
Schedule 15 Minor and consequential amendments
Schedule 16 Repeals and revocations
Schedule 16, Part I Repeals
Schedule 16, Part II Revocations
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