Privacy

Your Privacy

The Department of Finance (DoF) is responsible for the provision of IT infrastructure services for the NI Civil Service and some wider public sector organisations, responsibility for the NI Government citizen portal www.nidirect.gov.uk (including the nidirect contact centre services) and delivering the NI Digital Transformation Programme.

We (DoF) provide this online consultation platform for NI Government including NICS Departments, Arms Length Bodies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies to design and publish online consultations and as such, the Departments, Arms Length Bodies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies are also data controllers and data processors.

Delib, the company which develops and maintains the Citizen Space service is a data processor and UK Rackspace which hosts the platform is a sub-processor.

To enable NICS Departments, Arms Length Bodies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies to utilise the platform to develop online consultations/surveys we use individual admin user's personal data to create a secure account, in which case DoF is a data controller. DoF conducts a user audit twice a year to see if users still require access and users can ask for their account to be deleted at any time. In both cases the accounts and associated user data will be deleted.

In order to carry out its functions, DoF processes a range of personal information. This Privacy Information Statement relates to the NI Government survey and consultation tool- Citizen Space and explains how we use information about you and the ways in which we will safeguard your data. The type of data we hold and the reasons we are required to process it are set out below.

The Department of Finance is the data controller of the information supplied by admin users and is committed to protecting your privacy at all times when using your personal data.

The Department of Finance is not the data controller for information collected within surveys or consultations. 

Types of personal data and special categories of personal data DoF is not the data controller for:
The types of personal data and special categories of personal data will be determined by the consultation owner seeking advice and guidance from the corresponding Department’s or organisation’s Data Protection Officer or Departmental Information Manager on a per survey/consultation basis. In any case the consultation owner will state what data is being collected, how it will be processed and who, if anyone it will be shared with, and how long it will be kept.

Data collected within the surveys and consultations on the NI government citizen space site is controlled and processed by the consultation owner as a member of their department. Consultation owners should review the data they hold and collect and delete any surveys, consultations and data that is no longer required for business purposes. All data should be disposed of in line with their departmental disposal and retention policies.

For more information about how this data is used please see the contact details on the right-hand side of the survey you are responding to.

Purpose for processing

The platform enables NI Government staff to design build and publish online consultations which citizens can then respond to online via their browser. This data is collected for the purpose of informing the policy development process and to improve services.

Types of personal data collected from admin users

The information we need from admin users is basic, personal details such as:

  •  Email address,
  •  Name,
  •  Address,
  •  Contact telephone number;

This is required in order to set up secure user accounts.

Use of cookies

Website usage information is collected using cookies. You can read more on our Cookies page.

Lawful basis for Processing

The lawful basis for processing is Public Task, and where a department or organisation may wish to use the data you have submitted for a purpose other than this, for instance follow up contact, the Department will insert a consent question before the survey/consultation begins so you can explicitly choose to opt in or out.

How we obtain it

The personal information of admin users is collected during the Citizen Space account creation.

Who will it be shared with?

Admin user’s personal data is not shared with anyone but held on a secure system for the purposes of genuine account creation. Citizen Space is provided by Delib Ltd who has access to the data for security purposes, details of which can be found towards the bottom of this page.

Access to your information

When admin users have created an account on Citizen Space, they have the ability to manage their own personal information and make changes, if needed. Admin users within NI Government may also, at any time, request details about the information we hold about you by emailing citizenspace@finance-ni.gov.uk.

How will it be used?

This data is used to set up and maintain a secure account. It allows Delib Ltd to ascertain where a potential system security fault has occurred from if that happens and it means we (DoF) can ensure only NI Government staff have access to accounts. The DoF Citizen Space team will complete a biannual review to ensure you still require your account and that you are still employed within NI Government, the information you provide us with allows us to contact you during the biannual review.  

How long will we keep it?

We will only retain your data for as long as required. However, since the information supports your online account, we will only remove data if your account has not been used in a specified period (currently 1 year) and in line with the DoF Retention and Disposal Schedule, after which time it will be destroyed securely.

Full details of the Department of Finance’s role as a data controller and your rights in relation to information we hold about you can be found in the Department of Finance Privacy Notice.

Delib Privacy Information

Delib's software (this website) enables organisations to set up and operate activities, through which they can engage with you.

This site is managed by the controlling organisation, the Department of Finance (DoF). When you access and use this site, the personal information you have submitted to these activities will go to the organisation. Delib will not access your personal information unless requested to do so by the organisation, and only for the purposes of assisting them with the administration of this site.

Accessing your Personal Information

If you have any questions or requests about your personal information, for example to request a copy of it, or to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong, please contact the organisation (as stated in their Privacy Notice / Privacy Statement / Privacy Policy). It is the controlling organisation's responsibility to answer any questions or requests about your personal information.

Collection of Browser Information

The information provided by your computer when you use this website is collected by Delib. For example, your browser type, IP address, language preference, referring site and the date and time. The purpose for collecting this information is to maintain the security of the website and for operating and improving the software.