Information Commissioner's Office

Information Commissioner's Office is an independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest.

Information Commissioner's Office is an independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals. The ICO enforces and oversees legislation, including Data Protection Act 1998, Freedom of Information Act 2000, Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003, Environmental Information Regulations 2004, and INSPIRE Regulations 2009. Founded in 1984, the ICO reports directly to parliament and is sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. Today, more than 300 staff is employed by the ICO in offices in Wilmslow, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and London. It also administrates over 334,000 entries on the register of data controllers.