The Data Protection Act 1998 [DPA] came into force properly on 24 October 2001. The immediate implications, are:

Any individual may make a 'Subject Access Request'. Such a request must be replied to by provisions of copies of any record, such as a reference, must be made available subject to some conditions.

The processing of information will be tested against several standards, including its fairness, lawfulness, accuracy, uptodateness, relevance, excessiveness, and security.

The following definitions may be useful:

1. Manual records include all paper records, card indices etc held in a structured filing system.
2. Personal Data means information relating to a living individual who can be identified from that information. The information can include opinions on the individual.
3. Processing of personal data covers all acts of: obtaining, recording, storage, archive, updating, editing, review, retrieval, manipulation, disclosure, transmission, deletion, and destruction.
4. 'Relevant filing system' means any set of information about the individual which is structured to allow ready access.