How many Subject Access Requests were received and responded to by the CPS from 2021 to 2023
Request
I copy your request in bold below for ease of reference:
QUESTION 1:
Please advise how many Data Subject Access Requests (hereafter referred to as SARs) you received and responded to in 2021, 2022 and 2023 relating to employees (past or present) and other requests (e.g. customers, general public, service users etc).
| Number of SARs requests in 2021 | Number of SARs requests in 2022 | Number of SARs requests in 2023 | |
| Employees (past and present) | |||
| Other (e.g. customers, general public, service users) |
The next few questions relate to the SARs process which includes collating (pulling the data together from across your organisation/department), redacting the data, pulling the information/ data together into a response and checking the information before issuing it to the requestor.
QUESTION 2:
When responding to SARS do you manage the process in-house, or do you outsource the whole or part of the process? And if conducted in house please specify the name of the team/function that is responsible for this part of the process (eg Data Privacy, HR, etc). If for example you outsource one type of SAR (e.g. employee) but complete others (e.g. citizen/customer) inhouse, please provide details.
| In house (please specify) | Outsourced | |
| Collating the data (pulling the data together from across your organisation/department) | ||
| Redacting the data | ||
| Pulling the information/ data together into a response | ||
| Checking the information before issuing it to the requestor |
QUESTION 3:
Approximately how many working hours does it take to pull together a typical SARs response, this includes the time taken to collate and redact the information, and putting the information together for issuing?
QUESTION 4:
What is the estimated percentage of handwritten documentation within a typical SAR response?
Response
We have interpreted your request for information in relation to Subject Access Requests as requests received and processed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as Right of Access requests (ROARs). This is the process by which an individual may request their personal data under the Data Protection Act 2018.
Question 1
The number of Right of Access requests received and processed by the CPS for the years requested is set out in the table below:
Number of SARs requests in 2021 | Number of SARs requests in 2022 | Number of SARs requests in 2023 | |
Employees (past and present) | 7 | 15 | 12 |
Other (e.g. customers, general public, service users) | 488 | 460 | 562 |
The figures above include one ROAR request from 2023 which the CPS is still processing (non- employee).
Question 2
The CPS processes all aspects of Right of Access requests in-house. Request handling is managed by the Information Access Team. The following information is available on our website detailing the process by which the CPS deals with Right of Access requests:
Right of Access - Requesting your personal data | The Crown Prosecution Service (cps.gov.uk)
Question 3
The CPS does not hold any recorded information falling within the scope of this part of your request; we do not centrally collate information regarding the time taken to complete individual Right of Access requests.
Question 4
The CPS does not hold any recorded information falling within the scope of this part of your request; we do not centrally record the percentage of handwritten documentation contained within individual Right of Access requests.