PART 6Enforcement

The special purposes

178Review of processing of personal data for the purposes of journalism

1

The Commissioner must—

a

review the extent to which, during each review period, the processing of personal data for the purposes of journalism complied with—

i

the data protection legislation, and

ii

good practice in the processing of personal data for the purposes of journalism,

b

prepare a report of the review, and

c

submit the report to the Secretary of State.

2

In this section—

  • “good practice in the processing of personal data for the purposes of journalism” has the same meaning as in section 124;

  • “review period” means—

    1. a

      the period of 4 years beginning with the day on which Chapter 2 of Part 2 of this Act comes into force, and

    2. b

      each subsequent period of 5 years beginning with the day after the day on which the previous review period ended.

3

The Commissioner must start a review under this section, in respect of a review period, within the period of 6 months beginning when the review period ends.

4

The Commissioner must submit the report of a review under this section to the Secretary of State—

a

in the case of the first review, before the end of the period of 18 months beginning when the Commissioner started the review, and

b

in the case of each subsequent review, before the end of the period of 12 months beginning when the Commissioner started the review.

5

The report must include consideration of the extent of compliance (as described in subsection (1)(a)) in each part of the United Kingdom.

6

The Secretary of State must—

a

lay the report before Parliament, and

b

send a copy of the report to—

i

the Scottish Ministers,

ii

the Welsh Ministers, and

iii

the Executive Office in Northern Ireland.

7

Schedule 17 makes further provision for the purposes of a review under this section.