Defra - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

SeedCert

SEED CERTIFICATION ON-LINE PRIVACY POLICY


This statement explains how Defra uses information you provide over the internet and the ways in which it protects your privacy.
1. The Data Protection Act
We have a legal duty to protect your information. We maintain strict security standards and procedures to prevent unauthorised access to your data. We use leading technologies including digital certificates and encryption to further safeguard your data.

When you phone or email the PVS Helpdesk, personal data will be stored on a database to enable us to deal with your query efficiently and track its progress. This data will be made available to our contractors to help solve any query you have raised.

Data held will include your full name, business address, phone number and email address. Details of the IT equipment you are using, the exact query and other important information we feel is relevant to the query will also be stored.

Section 7 of the Data Protection Act gives you, the Data Subject, the right of access to your personal details. In most instances we will automatically email you a copy of what data has been stored in connection with your query. If you do not receive this email please contact the PVS Helpdesk on 01223 342379 to request this information. For more information on Public Service Guarantee on Data Handling please follow this link http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/policy/opengov/defra/your-info/handling-guarantee.htm.

Any data will be held on the system even after the query has been completed. Saved data will enable us to deal more effectively with similar queries in the future.

2. Payment Services
We allow applicants to pay for the seed certification service via the Government Gateway using credit or debit cards. For security reasons we do not retain any of the card information.
3. Sharing of information
No new information is shared with any government department or third party. The only information that is transferred is :-
  • Between Defra and NIAB who maintain the seed certification database on behalf of Defra.
4. Cookies
A cookie is a piece of data stored locally on your computer, either in memory or on the hard disk when you connect to Defra systems. The information on a cookie is not linked to any personally identifiable information you submit to our site and they are destroyed when you log out from Defra web sites or close your browser window.

Most internet browsers (for example, Internet Explorer) are set up to automatically accept cookies, but you can change your settings to prevent this. However, if you choose not to accept cookies you will not be able to access some Defra web sites as we need to use cookies to manage your session.

5. Log files
Log files record all access to Defra web sites and also track transactions made using some systems. Web site log files are used for statistical purposes such as trends analysis. Transaction log files are used for auditing purposes and may contain personally identifiable information. Log files are stored securely.
6. Notification of changes to this privacy policy
If this privacy policy changes in any way, an updated version will be placed on this page. Regularly reviewing this page ensures you are always aware of what information is collected, how it is used, and under what circumstances, if any, it is shared with other parties.