Contact Tracing: Computer Software

(asked on 18th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how data from the NHS covid-19 contact-tracing app will be (a) used, (b) stored and (c) disposed of.


Answered by
Nadine Dorries Portrait
Nadine Dorries
This question was answered on 27th May 2020

The data will only be used for National Health Service care, management, evaluation and research related to COVID-19. It will remain under the control of the Department and the NHS. Any companies working with the NHS are bound by robust contract and data processing agreements that specify how they use and store data. The data will be stored in a secure NHS data centre.

If users delete the app, all data stored on the phone and not already voluntarily shared with the Department or the NHS would be deleted. If users do not opt to share their data while the app remains on their phone, it will automatically be deleted on a continuous 28-day cycle within the app, on the phone.

Any data voluntarily shared with the NHS as part of the public health emergency, either proactively or as part of requesting a test, may be retained and used in the future for research in the public interest, or by the NHS for planning and delivering services, provided that doing so is in accordance with necessary legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation.

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