Valuation Office: Geographical Information Systems

Mrs. Spelman
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will commission a privacy impact assessment in respect of the Valuation Office Agency's Geographical Information System.

Ian Pearson
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) provides guidance on the use of PIAs. The ICO envisages PIAs only being used where a project is of such a wide scope, or will use personal information of such a nature, that there would be genuine risks to the privacy of the individual. PIAs will usually be recommended where a change of the law would be required, new and intrusive technology is being used, or where private or sensitive information which was originally collected for a limited purpose is going to be re-used in a new and unexpected way.

I am advised that the Valuation Office Agency’s geographical information system project does not pose a risk to the privacy of an individual.