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Structured Files
Under the Data Protection Act, the right of access to non-computerised records is in most cases limited to information held in structured files. These are collections of files or papers organised in a way that makes it easy to find information about a particular individual. This includes files which are indexed or arranged by reference to the name of the person concerned, or to some other identifying feature such as their household, street name, postcode, car number plate, national insurance or other reference number.
The Data Protection Act does not, in general, allow you to see personal data held on paper that is not organised in this way. A set of files containing correspondence from many people arranged in date order, and not by the name of the person sending the letter, would probably not be covered - unless it was separately indexed by name. Occasional references to you in other kinds of files or papers would usually not be covered either.
In brief, the position is:
Since the introduction of the Freedom of Information Act, you have a right to access all information held by any public authority about you, even unstructured information.
The Data Protection Act does not, in general, allow you to see personal data held on paper that is not organised in this way. A set of files containing correspondence from many people arranged in date order, and not by the name of the person sending the letter, would probably not be covered - unless it was separately indexed by name. Occasional references to you in other kinds of files or papers would usually not be covered either.
In brief, the position is:
- You can see personal data held on computers about you by anyone - or in other forms where data can be processed automatically.
- You can see personal data held about you manually where it is held in structured files.
- You can see health, social work, housing and school records held on paper. This applies to all information, not just that held in structured files.
Since the introduction of the Freedom of Information Act, you have a right to access all information held by any public authority about you, even unstructured information.
