Privacy

This website is  administered by Policy Connect. Policy Connect believes you have a right to privacy on the web, and we work to protect your security online as vigorously as possible.

We have developed the following policy to help you understand how your personal information will be treated as you engage with us both on and off-line. Policy Connect’s policy reflects our duties under the Data Protection Act 1988 to use information fairly, keep it secure, make sure it is accurate, and keep it up to date.

Further details on the Data Protection Act can be found on the Information Commissioner's website – www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk. 

This policy applies to all pages hosted on this site and also to all other Policy Connect owned websites except where specifically mentioned on other Policy Connect sites. It does not apply to other organisations to which we may link and whose privacy policies may differ. 

Policy Connect may amend this policy from time to time. If Policy Connect makes any substantial changes in the way your personal information is used we will make that information available by posting a notice on the site. 

Policy Connect’s security measures and privacy policy are reviewed on a regular basis. If you have any questions relating to this policy or the information Policy Connect holds about you, please email info@policyconnect.org.uk or address them to: 

The Data Officer

Policy Connect 

CAN Mezzanine, 32-36 Loman Street
 

London
 

SE1 0EH

1) What information does Policy Connect collect? 

Policy Connect collects only information that you give to us via email, the various data capture forms on our websites, or information voluntarily given to us via telephone or postal mail. Policy Connect may also collect and analyse information about the way you use our websites and communications we may send to you. For example if Policy Connect sends a communication which enables you to ‘click through’ to a certain page of a website.

Policy Connect websites may use a standard technology called a ‘cookie’ to collect information about how you use the site; this is a small data file that certain websites write to your hard drive when you visit them. A cookie file can contain information such as a user ID that the site uses to track the pages you have visited, but the only personal information a cookie can contain is information you supply yourself. A cookie cannot read data off your hard disk or read cookie files created by other sites.

Some parts of Policy Connect websites may use cookies to track user traffic patterns. Policy Connect does this in order to determine the usefulness of our website information to our users and to see how effective our navigational structure is in helping users reach that information. If you prefer not to receive cookies while browsing Policy Connect websites, you can set your browser to warn you before accepting cookies and refuse the cookie when your browser alerts you to its presence.

You can also refuse all cookies by turning them off in your browser. You do not need to have cookies turned on to use/navigate through many parts of Policy Connect websites. For more information about cookies see www.allaboutcookies.org. 

2) How is your information used? 

Policy Connect may use the information gathered for the following purposes: 

-To keep you up to date on the latest announcements or other information related to Policy Connect that we think you may like to hear about and to send you communications that may be of interest to you. Policy Connect may send this information electronically or otherwise, if you have opted-in to receive information from us 

-To analyse and improve the services offered on Policy Connect websites – e.g. to provide you with the most user friendly navigation experience. 

-To track usage 

-For service administration purposes, which means that Policy Connect may contact you for reasons related to any services you may have signed up for – e.g. to notify you that a particular service may be suspended for maintenance 

3) Does Policy Connect share my information? 

By providing personal information you are deemed to consent to this information being shared within Policy Connect and being shared outside of Policy Connect in the following circumstances: 

-When Policy Connect needs to share your information to provide the service you have requested (such as sending posters or leaflets) 

-When Policy Connect needs to send your information to companies who work on behalf of Policy Connect to provide a service to you (we will only provide those companies the information they need to deliver the service, and they are prohibited from using that information for any other purpose) 

-When Policy Connect is required to disclose your personal information by law in urgent circumstances, to protect personal safety, the public or our website(s) 

4) How secure is the information you give to Policy Connect? 

Data collected on Policy Connect websites is stored in controlled servers with limited access. Your information may be stored and processed in the United Kingdom where Policy Connect or its partners are located. 

5) How can you access, correct or delete your data? 

At your request Policy Connect will give you all details of personal information held by Policy Connect, once identity has been proved. Incorrect information will be deleted or amended promptly. Policy Connect can only accept these requests if sent by email to info@policyconnect.org.uk, or by post to Data Officer, Policy Connect, CAN Mezzanine, 32-36 Loman Street, London, SE1 0EH, specifying on which Policy Connect-owned website your personal information has been registered. Once the request has been received Policy Connect will take further steps to confirm identity before releasing data. Policy Connect will endeavour to respond to requests within 28 working days unless there are exceptional circumstances when we will let you know what is happening with your request. 

6) How can you opt out of receiving messages from Policy Connect? 

Policy Connect will send you communications if you have given us permission to do so. If Policy Connect sends you unsolicited emails, we will enable you to register an opt-out to receiving other emails from us. If you do not wish to receive messages from Policy Connect, please send an email asking that your contact information be removed from Policy Connect databases to info@policyconnect.org.uk.

7) How long will Policy Connect keep your personal information? 

Policy Connect will hold your personal information on our systems as long as is necessary for the relevant service you have requested, or until you inform us that you wish your information to be removed from our databases (see point 6 above). 

This policy was last updated August 2010.