The Integrated Administration and Control System: guidance

9. Releasing information about you and your payments

We have a legal duty to keep the conditions of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

It is our policy to release information about the amounts of subsidies we pay and who receives payment under any scheme which requires you to submit a SAF (this includes the new schemes under the Rural Development Regulation). We will process personal information we receive in line with the Data Protection Act 1998, but you should be aware that we will generally disclose (that is, make available for other people to see) the particular information mentioned above.

We will also protect other personal information we receive in line with the Data Protection Act 1998. We will use the information provided in the Common Agricultural Policy subsidy application mainly for the purpose of processing the applications. However, we may also use personal information, depending on the conditions of the 1998 Act, for purposes connected with:

• Administration of the Common Agricultural Policy;
• Scotland Rural Development Programme and other aid schemes;
• The production and safety of food;
• Management of land and other environmental controls;
• Providing services to businesses;
• Improving public service delivery;
• Animal health and welfare; and
• Occupational health and welfare.

We may pass information (when necessary for these purposes) to other organisations. For example, to Customs and Excise for import and export purposes, or to local authorities for milk or health purposes. This may include sharing field-boundary information with organisations who can show they have a need for this kind of information. We may also use information for statistical purposes, which may reduce the need for collecting some statistical information, or when we need to keep to the Freedom of Information Act or the Environmental Information Regulations noted above.