Privacy and Data Protection

Often we will obtain personal data directly from you, for example when you ask us to provide a service to you, or if you are a service-provider and wish to enter into a contract with us.  In that situation, it is a contractual requirement for you to provide personal data to enable us to provide the service or enter into the contract.  You are therefore obliged to provide the personal data, and if you do not then we may not be able to provide the service or enter into the contract.  Alternatively, it might be a statutory requirement for you to provide us with personal data (for example in relation to tax or licensing).  If you fail to do so, you may lose the benefit of any services which we might otherwise provide to you.  It may also result in legal action being taken against you.

It is your responsibility to inform us of any changes to the personal data which you have provided to us so that we can keep it up to date.

We will also frequently obtain personal data from other people and organisations, but will not do so unless we have the right or obligation to do so.  Depending on the circumstances, we may obtain personal data about you from people or organisations in the following categories:

• Health and social care, such as the Western Isles Integration Joint Board and NHS Western Isles
• Criminal investigation and law enforcement agencies such as Police Scotland
• Administrative and judicial bodies such as the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
• External regulators and licensing authorities such as the Care Inspectorate, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency
• Government departments such as the Department for Work and Pensions and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
• The Scottish Government
• Registered social landlords
• Partner organisations involved in the provision of education and related services
• People or organisations acting on your behalf such as advisory services, lawyers and other representatives
• Other people or organisations which hold your personal data such as banks and insurance companies
• General contractors and service-providers

We may share your personal data with people or organisations in any of these categories but will only do so to the extent that it is necessary and for a lawful reason.

We may also share your personal data with other public bodies if we consider that they have a legitimate interest in having it, such as to detect or prevent crime.  We will not share your personal data in this way if your interests or your fundamental rights and freedoms prevent it.

We do not usually need to transfer personal data outside the European Economic Area, but if we do, we will ensure that the recipient has appropriate and suitable safeguards in place to protect the personal data.