Most Recent BCS PDP9 Exam Questions & Answers

The UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 set a maximum fine of 17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover, whichever is higher, for infringements of the data protection principles, the rights of data subjects, or the rules on transfers of personal data to third countries. This is the higher maximum penalty that applies to the most serious breaches of the UK GDPR. A security breach that exposes the details of a hundred thousand members of the public would likely fall under this category, as it would compromise the confidentiality and integrity of personal data, and potentially cause significant harm and distress to the data subjects. Therefore, the maximum fine that the UK public body could receive for this breach is 17.5 million or 4% of gross annual turnover, whichever is higher.Reference:

Penalties3

GDPR Penalties & Fines4

Three years of GDPR: the biggest fines so far5

The main establishment of a controller or a processor in the EU is the place where the decisions on the purposes and means of the processing of personal data are taken and implemented. According to Recital 36 of the GDPR, the main establishment of a controller with establishments in more than one Member State should be the place of its central administration in the EU, unless the decisions on the processing are taken in another establishment of the controller in the EU and the latter establishment has the power to have such decisions implemented, in which case the establishment having taken such decisions should be considered to be the main establishment. Similarly, the main establishment of a processor with establishments in more than one Member State should be the place of its central administration in the EU, or, if the processor has no central administration in the EU, the establishment of the processor in the EU where the main processing activities take place to the extent that the processor is subject to specific obligations under the GDPR. The main establishment is relevant for determining the lead supervisory authority, the applicable law, and the jurisdiction of the courts for cross-border processing of personal data. In this case, the company's main establishment would be Germany, as it is the place where the company board and administrative functions are based and where the decisions on the processing of personal data are likely to be taken and implemented.Reference:

Recital 36 of the GDPR8

Article 4(16) of the GDPR9

Article 56 of the GDPR

The right to a private life is a fundamental human right that is protected by law in the UK. Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which is incorporated into UK law by the Human Rights Act 1998, states that ''Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence''. This right applies to all individuals, regardless of their status, profession, or public exposure. The right to a private life covers aspects such as personal identity, personal relationships, physical and mental well-being, personal data, and correspondence. However, this right is not absolute and can be limited or interfered with by the state or other parties in certain circumstances, such as for the protection of national security, public safety, health, morals, or the rights and freedoms of others.Reference:

Article 8 of the ECHR1

Human Rights Act 19982

ICO Guide to Data Protection3

Data protection rights were first introduced into UK law by the Data Protection Act 1984, which was enacted to implement the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data of 1981. The Data Protection Act 1984 established a set of principles for the processing of personal data by data users, such as obtaining consent, ensuring accuracy, and limiting retention. It also created a system of registration for data users and a Data Protection Registrar (later renamed as the Information Commissioner) to oversee and enforce the law. The Data Protection Act 1984 was replaced by the Data Protection Act 1998, which transposed the EU Data Protection Directive 1995 into UK law and extended the scope of data protection to cover manual as well as automated processing of personal data. The Data Protection Act 1998 was further amended by the Data Protection Act 2018, which incorporated the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Law Enforcement Directive into UK law and made provisions for specific processing situations, such as national security, immigration, and journalism.Reference:

Data Protection Act 19844

Council of Europe Convention 1085

Data Protection Act 19986

Data Protection Act 20187

Article 9(2) of UK GDPR allows the processing of special category data when it is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person where the data subject is physically or legally incapable of giving consent. This means that the data subject is unable to exercise their right to consent or object to the processing, either because they are unconscious, in a coma, suffering from a severe mental disorder, or otherwise unable to communicate their wishes. This condition is intended to cover emergency situations, such as life-threatening medical interventions, where the data subject's consent cannot be obtained in time. It does not apply when another lawful basis applies, when the data subject is physically absent but still capable of giving consent, or when the data subject refuses to consent.Reference:

Article 9(2) of UK GDPR1

ICO guidance on special category data2