New Powers For Data Protection Regulator – Penalties Up To £500,000

Information Commissioner has now joined the ranks of modern super-regulators who have teeth. Power to impose penalties of up to £0.5m are expected to come in this Spring. Read more about the implications for SMEs.

On 12 January 2010 the data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner, issued a press release confirming the timescales and maximum monetary amount that the Commissioner will be able to impose as a penalty for serious breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998.

The Data Protection Act 1998 itself was amended back on 1 October 2009 to provide the framework for the new powers. Since then, the Information Commissioner has made no secret in press releases and statements published on its website of the fact that it proposed a maximum penalty of £500,000. As part of the process of establishing the penalty regime the Information Commissioner had to prepare written guidance on how the power will be exercised, then obtain the approval of the Secretary of