What information do we collect from Candidates?
We collect and process personal data about you when you undertake training provided by our academy.scot service . The personal data we process includes:
- First Name
- Surname
- Scottish Candidate Number
- Address
- Postcode
- Phone Number
- Email Address
- Sex
- Date of Birth
- Training Session Recordings
- Any personal data contained within course submissions.
How do we use this information and what is the legal basis for this use?
We process the data listed above for the following purposes:
Purpose | Lawful Basis |
To enrol candidates on their qualification with SQA and then we keep their portfolio work, their name, and their signature. | Legitimate Interests |
To forward relevant course information, qualifications results, and other documents required for training to be completed. | Legitimate Interests |
Protecting ADS’s legitimate business interests and legal rights, including but not limited to, use in connection with legal claims, compliance, regulatory and investigative purposes (including disclosure of such information in connection with legal process or litigation) | Legitimate Interests |
To monitor use of our websites and online services | Legitimate Interests |
To monitor any trainee account to prevent, investigate and/or report fraud, terrorism, misrepresentation, security incidents or crime | Legitimate Interests |
To comply with applicable law and legislation | Legal Obligation |
With whom and where will we share your personal data?
Qualifications Authorities who administer the qualifications offer by the service (for example, the Scottish Qualifications Authority)
What are your rights in relation to your personal data?
Under data protection law, you have the following rights:
- Your right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.
- Your right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
- Your right to erasure – You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
- Your right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
- Your right to object to processing – You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
- Your right to data portability – You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.
You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you in most cases.
Please contact us at DPO@advice.scot if you wish to make a request.
How long do we keep your personal data?
Service | Retention Period | Data Type |
Academy | Three Weeks on completion of the course (whether it be pass, fail or withdrawal as a result). The exception being if an external verifier requests a visit within the retention period. The data shall be retained only until after the visit has occurred. |
|
Three years | Misconduct investigation reports and evidence. | |
Six years | Reports and Evidence involving a potential criminal prosecution or civil claim |
We will not keep your personal information for any purpose for longer than is necessary and will only retain the personal information that is necessary in relation to the purpose. We are also required to retain certain information as required by law or for as long as is reasonably necessary to meet regulatory requirements, resolve disputes, prevent fraud and abuse, or enforce our terms and conditions.
We will retain your data for a short time beyond the specified retention period, to allow for information to be reviewed and any deletion to take place. In some instances, laws may require Advice Direct Scotland to hold certain information for specific periods other than those listed above.
Where can you find more information about ADS’s handling of your data?
If you have any outstanding questions or requests regarding this policy or our privacy practices in general, you can contact us by email through DPO@advice.scot.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with the processing of your personal data for this service, please contact the Data Protection officer by email through DPO@advice.scot or by contacting our advice.scot service.
We strive to provide the best customer service and to uphold each of your aforementioned data rights.
If you require further resolution after we have made decision regarding your complaint, you can contact the data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office: https://ico.org.uk/.
Review of this policy
We keep this Policy under regular review. This Policy was last updated November 2024.