Seal licensing privacy notice

Explains what happens to the personal information provided during in the licensing process, from initial queries through to the issuing of permissions and post-consent processes.

Seal management system privacy notice

The Scottish Government’s Marine Scotland Licensing Operations Team (MS-LOT) has a range of statutory responsibilities including determining applications for seal licences under Part 6 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

This privacy notice explains what happens to the personal information provided to MS-LOT in the licensing process, from initial queries through to the issuing of permissions and post-consent processes. This includes personal information in relation to relevant law enforcement,  as the Scottish Ministers are the competent authority in terms of the Law Enforcement Directive.  

MS-LOT takes the right to privacy seriously and this privacy notice reflects our commitment to the fair and transparent processing of personal information. This notice sets out why we may need personal information, what we need and how we will use it.

Why we collect personal information 

MS-LOT will, where necessary, use personal information in the seal licensing process. MS-LOT collect, hold and process personal information because:

• the processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation, and

• the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in MS-LOT.

MS-LOT comply fully with obligations under data protection laws. These laws include the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Law Enforcement Directive and any other data protection legislation enacted by the UK Government.

If an applicant fails to provide all the information required to determine an application for a licence MS-LOT may refuse to proceed with the application. Provision of a name, email address and contact telephone number is required to register on the Seal Management System and allow a user to input seal licensing information related to an application for a seal licence. Personal information will, where necessary, be used by MS-LOT to contact the applicant about their application and/or licence. This will help reduce any delay in processing the application.

Who processes the personal information

A controller is the entity (organisation) that determines the purposes, conditions and means of the processing of personal information. For the consenting/licensing process, the Scottish Government is the Data Controller. MS-LOT process this information on behalf of the Scottish Ministers.

How the personal information is collected

MS-LOT collects certain personal information in a variety of ways including paper (and online) forms, email, letters, telephone, in person and when a user registers on the Seal Management System and inputs information on the system.

What personal information is collected

MS-LOT will process personal information including: names, email addresses and telephone numbers.

What happens to personal information (including how it will be stored and for how long)

Personal information will be processed in a number of ways:

• stored securely in the Seal Management System and the Scottish Government’s official corporate record, which have been tested for electronic and physical security. Personal information will not be transferred to, stored at, or processed in a destination outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and only system administrators in Marine Scotland will have access to the personal information on the Seal Management System. Passwords are not accessible to any system administrator.

• personal information is retained for the period that a user is registered on the Seal Management System. Personal information is retained for as long as is necessary for the purpose it was collected, which is normally for the licensing and post-consent period associated with the application.

• to contact you about your application and/or licence.

• Though we make every effort to preserve user privacy, we may need to disclose personal information if we have a legal obligation to do so.

Cookies

We collect information on how you use the site, using cookies and page tagging techniques to help us improve the website (these cookies aren't used to identify you personally).

This helps us to:

• improve the site by monitoring how you use it

• respond to any feedback you send us, if you've asked us to

We won't share your information with any other organisations for marketing, market research or commercial purposes, and we don't pass on your details to other websites.

Queries about how personal information is handled

If you have any queries or concerns about how your personal information will be handled, contact MS-LOT at:

Marine Scotland

Licensing Operations Team
Marine Laboratory
375 Victoria Road
Aberdeen
AB11 9DB

Email: ms.marinelicensing@gov.scot

Data subject rights

You have the right to access the personal data we process about you, the right to object to processing that is or is likely to cause substantial damage or distress to you or another, the right to request to rectify, erase, block or destroy inaccurate information and the right to be confident that we will handle your personal information responsibly and in line with good practice.

To exercise these rights, you can write to the Scottish Government Data Protection Officer, supported by the Data Protection and Information Asset Team at:

Data Protection and Information Assets Team
V Spur, Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD

Email: dpa@gov.scot

Complaints

If you feel we have been unable to resolve your information rights concern, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO are the supervisory authority responsible for data protection in the UK. 

For further information, including independent data protection advice and information in relation to your rights, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at:

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

Tel: 0303 123 1113
Website: http://www.ico.org.uk/

You can also report a concern here - https://ico.org.uk/concerns/handling/. 

Revisions to this privacy notice

MS-LOT may revise this privacy notice from time to time. Each revised version will be dated and published on the Marine Scotland website.