Christopher Stacey
Via e-mail to Chris Stacey
Our Reference: 46709
1st May 2009
Dear Mr Stacey,
I am writing with reference to your request, made under section 1(1) of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000, for information regarding retention and removal
of information on the Police National Computer.
You asked for the following information:
Firstly, I would like to know what the processes are for the retention and removal of
information on the Police National Computer. #
Within this request, I would like to obtain the relevant documents that set out the
procedure by which information is initially inserted on to the PNC, including what
type of information (for example, offences, allegations, suspicious). I would also
like to obtain the relevant documents which set out the circumstances by which
information on an individual’s PNC record is, or can be, removed.
Secondly, having contacted the NPIA Customer Support Team, reference was made
to the “Weeding Rules”. I was advised to make an FOI request to obtain both the
current Weeding Rules, as well as the previous Weeding Rules which refer to the
procedure prior to an overhaul of the process a couple of years ago.
Under section 21 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response
to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you. Please find below
response and links to the relevant publically available documents.
1. Information on the processes for the retention and removal of information on
the PNC can be found in the ACPO document ‘Retention Guidelines for
Nominal Records on the Police National Computer’, available on the ACPO
website at:
http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/policies/Data/Retention%20of%20Records06.pdf
or
National Policing Improvement Agency
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/Bichard_Step_Model_Retention.pdf
Rules for Scotland are different and these can be found on the Scottish Police
Services Authority (SPSA) at:
http://www.spsa.police.uk/documents/71/71.pdf
2. Documents that set out the procedure by which information is initially
inserted on to the PNC, including what type of information (for example,
offences, allegations, suspicious). This can be found in the ‘Police National
Computer Code of Practice‘ , available on our website www.npia.police.uk via
this link:
http://www.npia.police.uk/en/docs/Police_nat_comp_C_of_P.pdf
3. Documents which set out the circumstances by which information on an
individual’s PNC record is, or can be, removed. This information can be found
in the documents at (1).
4. The current ‘weeding rules’. Yet again, these can be found in the documents
at (1).
5. The previous ‘weeding rules’. These can be found on the ACPO website at:
http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/policies/Data/weeding_rules_version5_nov_2000.do
c
As a general point it should be noted that the Chief Constable of each police force
owns the information they put onto PNC for their force area. ACPO (Association of
Chief Police Officers) as a body represents all 44 individual forces in England &
Wales and Northern Ireland, is the representative owner of all PNC records and is
therefore mandated to determine the retention and removal policy for this
information. This role is performed by the SPSA for Scotland. NPIA’s role is as the
Data Processor of this information and any activity which we undertake is as a
result of and in accordance with this ACPO policy.
Your right to complain
We take our responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act seriously but, if
you feel your request has not been properly handled or you are otherwise
dissatisfied with the outcome of your request, you have the right to complain. We
© NPIA (National Policing Improvement Agency) 2007
National Policing Improvement Agency
will investigate the matter and endeavour to reply within 3 – 6 weeks. You should
write to:
Gavin McKinnon
Head of Secretariat
National Policing Improvement Agency
10-18 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0NN
E-mail:
[email address]
If you are still dissatisfied following our internal review, you have the right, under
section 50 of the Act, to complain directly to the Information Commissioner. Before
considering your complaint, the Information Commissioner would normally expect
you to have exhausted the complaints procedures provided by the NPIA. The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
FOI Compliance Team (complaints)
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Further information about the NPIA is routinely published on our website at
www.npia.police.uk or through our publication scheme. If you require any further
assistance in connection with this request please contact us at our address above.
Yours sincerely,
Phil Cundy
Service Improvement Manager
National Policing Improvement Agency
Web:
www.npia.police.uk
© NPIA (National Policing Improvement Agency) 2007
