ICO reports record levels of business

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The Information Commissioner’s Office is busier than ever having seen a 30 per cent rise in data protection cases, according to the independent body’s annual report.

In the 2009/10 period, the organisation received 33,234 individual requests for advice and complaints on data protection, closing 32,714 of these cases.

Productivity at the body also appears to be on the rise, as the number of data protection cases over six months old at the ICO fell from 1,315 to 960. Just under three-quarters of all data protection cases were concluded within 90 days.

Information commissioner Christopher Graham said that despite the rise in activity, the organisation is keeping on top of its workload.

“We have made some significant internal changes to ensure we are best placed to deal with the increasing demands and expectations placed upon us by the public and the organisations we work with,” he said.

Graham also called for greater transparency around the reporting and financing of the ICO.

“I believe that the ICO has not just to be independent of government, but be seen to be independent,” Graham said.

“To carry out my duties effectively and with the full confidence of all parties, now is the time to formalise the governance arrangements for the information commissioner, suitable for an independent public official whose accountability is fully to Parliament, rather than primarily via departments of state.”

He also warned of the “painful enforcement action” that companies can be hit by if they fail in data protection responsibilities.

While the ICO is now able to fine companies as much as £500,000 for breaches of the Data Protection Act, no such penalties have been directly handed out by the body since it received the new powers in April.

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