Privacy notice

This notice sets out your rights with respect to how we will use your personal data when you apply for a standard individual export licence (SIEL).

This notice explains how the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) (also referred to as “We” or “Us” or “Our” in this privacy notice) will use your personal data. We recognise that we have a duty to people whose information we hold to treat that information responsibly, keep it safe and secure, and process it correctly and proportionately. We will process your personal data lawfully and fairly in line with the 2018 Data Protection Act.

This privacy notice broadly explains the information we collect, the purpose for processing, categories of personal information and who we may share it with. It is important that you read this notice, so that you are aware of how and why we are using your information.

Purpose of privacy notice

This online service is for applying for export licences and clearances, related to goods that require government permission to be exported from the UK or traded between countries.

The information you provide will be processed by DBT and shared with third parties for the purpose of processing licensing or clearance applications for controlled strategic goods and services.

The information you provide will be processed on a lawful basis to enable DBT to perform a task in the public interest or to fulfil an official function, including conducting research appropriate to DBT and export controls.

What data we collect

The personal data we will collect includes:

  • full name
  • email address
  • phone number
  • address
  • data related to criminal convictions, if applicable

Processing of criminal data

Processing of criminal data is pursuant to Article 11 (1) of the Firearms Regulation No. 258/2012. The article stipulates that an export authorisation (licence) must be refused if the applicant has a criminal record concerning conduct constituting an offence, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than four years.

DBT has a duty to identify individuals that do not meet the criteria for licensing.

Our legal basis for processing your data

DBT is the data controller for personal data you provide to us. We process the data on the lawful basis of legal obligation and the processing is necessary to comply with the law.

How we may share your information

In line with the purpose your personal information may be shared with the following parties;

These are:

  • Ministry of Defence
  • Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
  • HM Revenue and Customs
  • Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
  • National Cyber Security Centre
  • UK Border Force – Home Office
  • Australia Group
  • Nuclear Suppliers Group
  • Wassenaar Arrangement
  • Missile Technology Control Regime
  • Europe Union

Aggregated analysis of data collected may be shared with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) the Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA), and the National Audit Office (NAO).

We may also anonymise some personal data you provide to us to ensure that you cannot be identified and use this data to allow DBT to effectively target and plan the provision of services related to the purposes described above.

We will not:

  • sell or rent your data to third parties
  • share your data with third parties for marketing purposes
  • use your personal data in analytics

We will also share your data if we are required to do so by law or regulation, for example, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crime.

How long we will keep your information

We will only retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

We will retain your personal information for as long as:

  • it is needed to fulfil the purposes set out in this document
  • the law requires us to do so

Subject to the paragraph above, we will only retain your personal data and criminal offence data for as long as:

  • it is needed for the purposes set out in this document; or
  • the law requires us to

However, we conduct regular reviews to ensure we only keep information required for the purpose of which it was collected. If there is any indication of a business need to extend this retention period, we will robustly review it and communicate any changes in a revised notice.

Your rights and access to your information

You have the right to request a copy of the information that we hold about you. The Data Protection Act (DPA) also gives you additional rights that refer to how DBT holds and uses your information.

Under certain circumstances, by law you have the right to:

  • request information about how your personal data is processed
  • raise an objection about how your personal data is processed

Contact us

The Department for Business and Trade is registered as a Data Controller under the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018. Our contact details are:

Data Protection Officer
Old Admiralty Building
Whitehall
London
SW1A 2DY
Email: data.protection@businessandtrade.gov.uk

You have a right to complain to us if you think we have not complied with our obligation for handling your personal information. You can contact our Data Protection Officer using the same contact details.

Contact the Information Commissioner’s Office

If you are not satisfied with the DBT response you have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). You can report a concern by contacting the ICO on the below details.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Email: casework@ico.org.uk

Tel 0303 123 1113

Textphone 01625 545860
Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm

For more information about your rights under the Data Protection Act or to request a copy of any data held about you please contact data.protection@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

Confidentiality

If you wish the information you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), public authorities are required to comply with the FOIA.

In view of this, it would be helpful if you have reasons for confidentially, if you could explain to us why you wish that information to be treated confidentially. If we receive a request for disclosure of information that has been provided, we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances.

Changes to this privacy notice

We reserve the right to update this privacy notice at any time and we will provide you with a new privacy notice when we make any substantial updates.