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Data Controller Name: The Northern Ireland Office

Address: Stormont House, Stormont Estate, Belfast, BT4 3SH

Data Protection Officer Name: Jonathan McAdams

Telephone: 028 90765431

Email: foi@nio.gov.uk

The NIO is committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy notice explains how the NIO uses information about you and the ways in which we will protect your privacy.

What information we process

The information we process includes:

• personal details
• family and social circumstances
• financial details
• education and training details
• employment, absence and leave details

We also process sensitive classes of information that include:

• physical and/or mental health
• racial or ethnic origin
• religious, or other beliefs of a similar nature
• community background
• sexual orientation
• trade union membership
• criminal offences or convictions

Why are you processing my personal information?

We handle personal information in order to comply with our legal obligations and other pension, employment and statutory equality legislation. The processing of personal information is necessary for the performance of a public task or in the exercise of official authority.

Where do you get my personal information from?

We obtain personal information directly from you when you contact us about our services. We will provide reasons for collecting personal data and advise when your consent is required for a specific purpose. Your consent must be given freely and can be withdrawn at any time by contacting the department.

Do you share my personal information with anyone else?

It may on occasions be necessary to share your personal data with other government departments and agencies to meet our legal or public function requirements, or in your vital interest.

Do you transfer my personal outside the European Union?

• Your personal information will not be transferred outside the European Union.
• Your personal data will not be used for any automated decision making.
• Your personal data will be stored in a secure government IT system.

How long do you keep my personal information?

We will keep your personal information only for as long as it is required for the lawful purpose(s) for which it was obtained and in line with our Retention and Disposal Schedules.

How we keep your personal data secure

Clerical and electronic records that contain any personal information will be held in a secure way, and will only be made available to those who have a right to see them.

We use technical and organisational measures such as:

• Encryption of our data and IT equipment
• Regular data protection training for our staff
• Regular testing of our technology
• Restricted access controls
• Physical security measures

What rights do I have?

• You have the right to obtain confirmation that your data is being processed, and access to your personal information;
• You are entitled to have personal information rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete;
• You have the right to have personal information erased and to prevent processing, in specific circumstances;
• You have the right to ‘block’ or suppress processing of personal information, in specific circumstances;
• You have the right to data portability, in specific circumstances;
• You have the right to object to the processing, in specific circumstances;
• You have rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling;
• You have the right to withdraw any consent that you have given.

You can find out if we hold any information by making a ‘subject access request’. If we do hold information about you, we will:

• Give you a description of it;
• Tell you why we are holding it;
• Tell you who it could be disclosed to; and
• Let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form.

To make a request to access any personal information we may hold about you, you should put the request in writing and email it to: foi@nio.gov.uk

More information can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website

How do I complain if I am not happy?

If you are unhappy with how any aspect of this privacy notice, or how personal information is being processed, please contact the NIO Data Protection Officer.

If you are still not happy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

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

Tel: 0303 123 1113

Email: casework@ico.org.uk

https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

Changes to this Privacy Notice

We keep our privacy notice under regular review. This privacy notice was last updated in May 2018.

Today (Friday 25 May), the milestone of achieving 250 apprentices working on the new nuclear site Hinkley Point C in Somerset will be recognised by the Business Secretary Greg Clark during his first visit to the site since construction work began.

Site owners, EDF, set an ambition of 1,000 apprentices working on the project during its lifespan, and today, a quarter of these places has already been fulfilled. Coupled with the new nearby nuclear college in Taunton, which opened its doors earlier this year, the future has never been brighter for trainees in the dynamic nuclear sector.

Based on the north Somerset coast in the south west of England and marking a significant milestone in the revitalisation of our nuclear power industry, Hinkley Point C is the UK’s first new nuclear power station in a generation and is poised to make a major contribution to the UK’s move to reduce carbon emissions through clean energy production.

Nuclear energy already provides around 20% of the UK’s electricity from existing sites – and Hinkley Point C’s future output will significantly boost this figure. The clean electricity it will generate upon completion is all part of this government’s modern Industrial Strategy, which actively encourages clean growth in business and energy production. The Industrial Strategy sets out a long-term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK, and sets out how we are building a Britain fit for the future – how we will help businesses create better, higher-paying jobs in every part of the UK with investment in skills, industries and infrastructure.

Mr Clark, along with Energy Minister Richard Harrington, will meet some of the apprentices and staff working on the site, and see the significant progress that has been made. He will be joined by the French Ambassador to the UK, Jean-Pierre Jouyet.

The contract for Hinkley was signed between the UK government and EDF on 29 September 2016, and currently, there are 3,100 staff working on site every day. The site is generating work both in the region and nationally, with contracts valued at £9.4 billion now having been signed. It is also benefitting the supply chain, with the total value of the construction budget to UK companies having reached the target of 64%. EDF has also set up a £20 million Community Fund to be spent on improvements for communities most affected by the development of Hinkley Point C.

The site also remains on track to meet its next major milestone, the 2019 nuclear concrete construction target, J0 (pronounced ‘J-Zero’), the completion of the foundations for the first reactor – and energy production is expected to start in 2025.

Earlier this week, the UK signed up to join the Clean Energy Ministerial Nuclear Innovation initiative alongside Canada, Argentina, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Romania, and Poland, to share global expertise around advanced nuclear technology, further showing our commitment to the future importance of nuclear power.

In partnership, Highways England, Avon & Somerset Police, Avon Fire & Rescue and South Western Ambulance service work closely together on a routine and day-to-day basis to maintain safety and keep the strategic road network, including the M4, M5, M48, M32, M49 and major A roads, running smoothly.

During holiday periods, traffic volumes rise on the South West’s roads and can lead to an increase in incidents, particularly along the major M4 and M5 routes.

And ahead of the May Bank Holiday, Highways England and the emergency services have updated their motorway closure protocol to ensure the most efficient and expedient handling of major motorway closures.

Highways England Operations Manager Jeff Foreman said:

Our roads in the South West provide vital links for businesses, commuters, local communities and holiday makers and our motorways and we are aware that motorway incidents can have a really negative impact on the region as a whole.

As a result we have recently refreshed and revised our closure protocol to ensure we can manage incidents more efficiently, mobilise resources and equipment quicker in the event of any major incidents and ensure any closures are minimised as much as possible.

The protocol is one of many examples of how we work together as ‘one team’ it plays an important part in managing and clearing the carriageways after major incidents, and our traffic officers also work closely with emergency services across the region, including day-to-day and major incidents, as well as during severe weather.

As part of this multi-agency approach we are also running a trial to extend our traffic officer patrols along the A30 in Cornwall, to assist our emergency services partners in the south of the region.

Our message is that we are fully prepared and during the upcoming holiday months, we also advise that drivers prepare themselves for any longer or unfamiliar journeys.

Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said:

Motorway driving is an efficient means of direct travel to your destination, but if you’re stuck in the aftermath of a collision it can become frustrating. With more and more vehicles taking to our roads, I believe education is crucial to ensuring the roads remain safe for all who use them.

In the event of a motorway collision, it’s not always understood why the road is closed for a length of time or who is responsible for re-opening the road. That’s why I am committed to working closely with partners to help road users understand the multi-agency response following a collision, with the aim of reducing the number of casualties on our roads.

Superintendent Andy Williams from Avon & Somerset Police added:

We understand the frustration that drivers will feel when they’re stuck on a road following a full carriageway closure and we appreciate drivers’ patience, and understanding.

The newly updated protocol highlights just one of the ways we are working in partnership with Highways England and other agencies to get roads reopened as soon as possible following an incident on the road. We also want everyone to get to their destinations safely, so please follow all safety tips and reduce your chances of getting caught up in an incident this summer.

Both Highways England and Avon & Somerset Police advise drivers to be prepared, plan their journeys, allow extra time and take regular breaks.

To help you prepare, follow these simple steps:

• Check tyres: Prior to setting off on a long/significant journey, check your tyre pressure and the condition of your tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear and make sure the tyres have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, which is the legal limit.
• Check engine oil: Use your dipstick to check oil before any long journey, and top up if needed. Take your car back to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual.
• Check water: To ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen.
• Check lights: If your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, light malfunctions can be a reason for your vehicle to fail its MoT.
• Check fuel: Before setting out, check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough to get to your destination.
• Travel as light as possible: do not exceed the recommended carrying capacity of your vehicle and ensure that luggage doesn’t restrict visibility.

For more detailed information on how to carry out your vehicle checks, visit the Think! website.

To help motorists this Bank Holiday weekend, Highways England is also removing some 237 miles of roadworks by 6am on Friday 25 May meaning more than 98 per cent of the motorway and A-road network managed by Highways England, will be roadworks-free.

Since Easter, Highways England has also resurfaced around 58 miles of its network in the South West, providing smoother holiday journeys for all drivers.

Any ongoing roadworks will not be put back in place until a minute past midnight on Tuesday, 29 May.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

The legislation will enable the government to begin processing citizenship applications for the Windrush generation – Commonwealth nationals who settled in the UK before 1973 – free of charge. Free citizenship applications for children of the Windrush generation who joined their parents before they turned 18 and free confirmation of the existing British citizenship for children born to the Windrush generation in the UK where needed – will also be able to commence.

People applying for citizenship under the scheme will need to meet the good character requirements in place for all citizenship applications but will not need to take the knowledge of language and life in the UK test or attend a citizenship ceremony.

The scheme also covers the government’s commitment to help members of the Windrush generation who are looking to return to the UK having spent recent years back in their home countries. These people will also be able to apply for the relevant documentation free of charge. In addition, Mr Javid confirmed that non-Commonwealth citizens who settled in the UK before 1973 and people who arrived between 1973 to 1988 who have an existing right to be in the UK are not expected to pay for the documentation they need to prove their indefinite leave to remain.

Home Secretary, Sajid Javid said:

I am clear that we need to make the process for people to confirm their right to be in the UK or put their British citizenship on a legal footing as easy as possible. That is why I have launched a dedicated scheme which brings together our rights, obligations and offers to these people into one place.

I want to swiftly put right the wrongs that have been done to this generation and am committed to doing whatever it takes to make this happen.

A dedicated taskforce, which was set up on Wednesday 18 April, has so far taken more than 13,000 calls with over 5,000 of these calls having been identified as potential Windrush cases. More than 850 people now have documentation following an appointment with the team.

A call to evidence to enable members of the Windrush generation to share their experiences and help shape a bespoke compensation scheme was also launched earlier this month. This will run until 8 June and has already received almost 100 responses.

The Windrush scheme will come into effect on Wednesday 30 May. More information on how to apply for any of the routes outlined in the Windrush scheme is available.