Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances information gathered during the developed vetting security clearance process can be released to the police or the Crown Prosecution Service.

Information provided as part of the Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance process is subject to a high degree of data privacy protections. The DV process is structured to facilitate the safeguarding of national security while maintaining tight control and limited distribution of applicants’ personal data. The DV process conforms to the UK’s data protection legislation.

On the basis of this legislation, personal data can be shared with external agencies such as the police only in specific circumstances. These are:

• where the data subject may have committed a previously undetected criminal offence, or where an offence may be about to be committed;
• where people may be at risk of harm; and
• where action is required to safeguard national security.

In the event that, for example, the Crown Prosecution Service is pursuing a criminal trial against an individual, one or more of these conditions may be met. In such circumstances judicial authorities will submit a formal application to the data controller for disclosure. Such applications are scrutinised on a case by case basis and strict conditions are placed on the degree to which personal data is shared and with whom.