FOI & Privacy

Environmental Information Regulations Request

The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 give individuals the right to access environmental information that public authorities hold and requires the authorities to make such information available to the public by electronic means which is easily accessible; and take reasonable steps to organise the information relevant to its functions with a view to the active and systematic dissemination to the public of the information.

If you wish to make a request for Information under the Regulations, you can do so in the following ways:

by letter, to:

Knowledge and Information Officer
Corporate Programme and Intelligence 

Lancashire Fire & Rescue Services
Service Headquarters
Garstang Road
Fulwood
Preston
PR2 3LH

by email: dp&foi@lancsfirerescue.org.uk

You should make your request clear and legible, and you should try to be as specific as possible about the information you want.

You should provide an address for us to send any documentation or information back to, an email address is acceptable.

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, The ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. The Information Commissioner can be contacted as follows: 

The Information Commissioner’s Office 

Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 08456 306060 or 01625 545745

www.ico.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Subject Access Request

Data Protection Act 2018 – Right to Access Personal Information

Subject Access – Guidance for the Applicants.

At a glance

• Individuals have the right to access their personal data and supplementary information, this right is known as Subject Access.

• The right of access allows individuals to be aware of and verify the lawfulness of the processing of any data held about them.  

In brief

What information is an individual entitled to under the Data Protection Act 2018 (subsequently referred to as the Act)?  Under the Act, individuals will have the right to obtain:

• Confirmation that their data is being processed;

• access to their personal data; and

• other supplementary information – this largely corresponds to the information that is provided in the relevant privacy notice.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services (LFRS) Privacy Notices are available below.

What is the purpose of the right of access under the Act?

The Act clarifies that the reason for allowing individuals to access their personal data is so that they are aware of and can verify the lawfulness of the processing.

Is there a fee for dealing with a Subject Access Request? 

Information must be provided free of charge. However, LFRS maintain the right to charge a ‘reasonable fee’ when a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, particularly if it is repetitive.

LFRS may also charge a reasonable fee to comply with requests for further copies of the same information. The fee will be based on the administrative cost of providing the information.

How quickly with the information by provided? 

Information must be provided without delay and at the latest within one month of receipt.

LFRS will be able to extend the period of compliance by a further two months where requests are complex or numerous. If this is the case, we must inform you within one month of the receipt of the request and explain why the extension is necessary.

Please note: Fire Reports by their very nature can be complex and require Quality Assurance to ensure their accuracy.  LFRS may on occasions use the above mentioned extension for this purpose.

What if the request is manifestly unfounded or excessive?

Where requests are manifestly unfounded or excessive, in particular because they are repetitive, LFRS can:

• charge a reasonable fee taking into account the administrative costs of providing the information; or

• refuse to respond.

If LFRS makes the decision to refuse to respond to a request, we must explain why, informing the applicant of their right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) and to a judicial remedy without undue delay and at the latest within one month.

The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

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

Telephone: 08456 306060 or 01625 545745

www.ico.gov.uk

What is required of the Applicant?

LFRS must verify the identity of the person making the request, using ‘reasonable means’.  As such the Applicant will be asked to provide relevant forms of identification.

How will the information by provided?

If the request is made electronically, we will endeavour to provide the information in a commonly used electronic format.

Alternately we will provide the requested information in hard copy.

Requests for large amounts of personal data.

Where LFRS processes a large quantity of information about an individual, the Act permits us to ask the individual to specify the information the request relates to.

The Data Protection Act 2018 does not include an exemption for requests that relate to large amounts of data, but LFRS may consider whether the request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.

How to apply for a copy of your personal data.

LFRS have created a form which can be used to aid you in requesting data from us, and to assist us in finding the relevant data.

We have also created a guidance document to help you fill in the form.

Request from Other Agencies

Other agencies, such as social Services or Local Authorities who require Personal and/or Sensitive information from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service should complete a DP2 Data Protection Form

The completed form should be submitted to: infogov@lancsfirerescue.org.uk

Should you require any assistance with the completion of this form, please contact the Knowledge and Information Officer using the email address above.