FOI reveals 20% increase in numbers after ICO described being unprepared as its “largest single risk”.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has increased its staffing levels as it prepares to enforce the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) which come into force on 25 May 2018.
Total staff numbers in 2016 were 442. This increased to 472 by March 2017 and went up again to 537 this March.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Insurance Age revealed that in 2017 the number of staff in the specific department focused on data protection complaints and reviews was 85.
This went up by 20% to 102 in March this year.
Restructure
Comparisons cannot be made with 2016 due to an organisational restructure.
However, the regulator pointed out: “Both specific frontline teams and back office functions contribute towards the investigation of data protection breaches and it is therefore difficult to state precisely how many of our staff are involved in these investigations.”
The organisation also confirmed in its response to the FOI that it “will be employing additional staff in the 2018/19 financial year”.
It did not detail how many staff would additionally be hired nor could it say exactly how many would be devoted to GDPR investigations.
Priority
One of the enforcement body’s key aims, outlined in its Information Rights Strategic Plan 2017/18 is to “lead the implementation and effective oversight of the GDPR and other live data protection reforms”.
Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, stated in the plan's introduction: “Our largest single risk is not being prepared for implementation of the EU data protection reform package in 2018.
“Preparing business processes and guidance for the GDPR, the Law Enforcement Directive and the ePrivacy Regulation will be the highest priority for us in the first two years of this strategic plan.”
Companies that fail to comply with GDPR regulations are at risk of being fined up to 4% of business turnover or £17.5m depending on which is greater.
Insurance Age is hosting a webinar to educate brokers on what action they need to take around GDPR on Tuesday 3 April at 11am. Registration is now open for this event.
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