Output Measures and Performance
Indicators
Financial Years 2002 / 2003
to 2006 / 2007
There are three notification ‘products’ -
new applications, renewals and changes. Each product is weighted
in accordance with its processing time
so year-on-year comparisons of performance can be made, reflecting the differing
workloads encountered. The 'processed per officer day' figures incorporate different
levels of staff from year to year and encompass increased productivity targets,
and are calculated from the weighted figures. Transformations (from the 1984
Act) ceased during FY 2003/2004. The target for processing weighted transactions
was revised to reflect the improved systems of handling the notification products,
as shown by the outcome.
*Assessments completed comprise ‘Telecom
Regulations, Consumer Credit Act cases and request for assessment
completed'.
Currently there are still 3 complaints being investigated
(made under the provisions of the 1984 Act). Requests for
assessment made under the 1998 Act are processed differently
from complaints. From 2000/2001 the number closed per officer
day figure encompasses complaints closed and assessments
completed.
Contact is to all areas of
the Office. Notification has its own dedicated enquiry line
and media enquiries with whom
they have had previous contact. The Helpline
handles all general calls from organisations and individuals. Telephone enquiries
represent the calls received by the Helpline, and 'line hours' are the hours
spent by staff dealing with these enquiries. The target figures for the 'calls
received per line hour' are based on efficiency improvements gained from using
new telephony equipment and having more lines open. Staff employed on the Helpline
also deal with written queries, correspondence connected with existing cases
and administrative work for the compliance departments.
*Previously the Information
Line
Public Awareness and Awareness
of Rights
The figures are based on annual
tracking research in the spring of each year. Anyone requiring
more detailed statistics
and information is welcome to apply
to the Office.
Our Annual Caseload
Our caseload consists of enquiries and complaints of differing
sorts. The bulk of complaints are requests under the Data
Protection Act 1998 to assess whether
the processing of personal information carried out by an organisation met the
requirements of the Act. However we also receive complaints about companies
which have failed to comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications
Regulations 20031 under which complaints can be made about the sending of unsolicited
direct marketing phone calls, faxes, automated calls, text/picture/video messages
and emails. Some 1670 complaints of this type were received in the last year.
We also deal with complaints about inaccurate consumer credit files which fall
under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and unfair contract terms. The total number
we received this year was 11,664.
The types of issues which
are raised in these complaints can be seen in the
case summaries throughout this report. These put the flesh on the bones
of these statistics and make clear how important these issues
can be to the individuals
concerned. However we are not able in every case to consider the issues
which someone raises. Some 12 % of the complaints we dealt
with in the last year
fell outside the remit of the Act.
When we consider a complaint
under the Data Protection Act we are under a duty to decide
whether
or not the processing in question was likely
or unlikely
to have met the requirements of the Act. This means that in some cases
we are able to come to a decision straight away by examining the evidence
presented
to us. However it is not always possible to do this and we may require
further information from the complainant, the organisation or both. Our
aim is to give
the complainant a view as to the likelihood as to whether or not the
provisions of the Act have been broken. The Data Protection Act gives
individuals the
right to claim compensation in the courts if they have suffered damage
from a contravention of the Act. The assessment we are under a duty to
make will
in some instances help individuals to do this.
Every year we respond to
a significant number of written enquiries from the public
about these issues – this year there were 5,595. In
some cases, when for lack of information we are not able to give a view
as to
whether
an organisation has complied or not with the Act, we are able to give
authoritative advice on the issue so that individuals are able to take
the matter forward
for themselves.
The number of cases which
we resolved in 2003-2004 was 11,644 in total. Of these some
90% were closed within 3 months.
Prosecutions 1 April 2003
- 31 March 2004
Footnotes:
1 These replaced theTelecommunications (Data Protection
and Privacy) Regulations 1999 in December 2003
