Background
Most personal data held by the MOD will relate to current or former civilian staff or members of the Armed Forces. The Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA98) provides access for individuals (including foreign nationals) to personal data held about them by any organisation. DPA98 does not give private individuals access to personal data about other people or non-personal data. The MOD does not currently charge for requests made under DPA98 although in certain circumstances, requests for unstructured manual data may attract a fee.
How to make a Subject Access Request
To make a Subject Access Request please down load and complete the SAR form (link to DPA SAR Form 1694 in the Related Links on the right hand side). The Ministry of Defence is a large and complex organisation and it will greatly assist us to help you with your request for personal information if you would send it to the most appropriate address below.
If you are a current or former member of the MOD civilian staff or the Armed Forces
Please download, print and complete the attached form (link to DPA SAR Form 1694 in the Related Links on the right hand side) stating clearly the information you require, and send it, with the necessary proof of identification requested, to the appropriate address:
Navy (including Royal Marines):
RN Disclosure Cell
Room 48
West Battery, Whale Island
Portsmouth PO2 8DX
Army:
Army Personnel Centre Secretariat
Disclosures 2
Mail Point 515
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow G2 8EX
RAF:
DPA Team
RAF Disclosures
Rm 15, Trenchard Hall
RAF Cranwell
Sleaford
Lincolnshire
NG34 8HB
RFA Seafarers:
Royal Fleet Auxiliary Pers Ops
Room 13
Mail Point G1
West Battery
Whale Island
Portsmouth PO2 8DX
Civilians (including Ministry of Defence Police Officers):
People Services
Access to Personal Information Service (APIS)
Personnel, Pay and Pensions Agency
Ministry of Defence
J Block, Foxhill, Bath, BA1 5AB
Persons who believe that the Ministry of Defence Police may hold information relating to them:
MDP HQ Sec – DP
Room 123, Building 1070
Wethersfield
Braintree
Essex CM7 4AZ
Trading Funds
Defence Science and Technology Laboratories (DSTL)
Corporate Secretariat
Room 23, Bldg 106
DSTL
Porton Down, Salisbury
Wilts SP4 0JQ
UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO)
UK Hydrographic Office
Admiralty Way
TAUNTON
Somerset TA1 2DN
Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA)
Data Protection Team
Room 6303
Tomlinson House
Norcross
Thornton Cleveleys
FY5 3WP
Special Subject Access Requests(SSAR) –Extended Access to Information
Potentially Hazardous Exposure
Following a decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) there is now a Special Subject Access Request (SSAR) procedure for individuals who are concerned about any potentially hazardous exposure they may have experienced during their military Service or civilian employment with MOD. Porton Down Volunteers (PDV) should continue to use the Porton Down Helpline. Click on the SSAR links on the right hand side for further information.
Those seeking personal information about themselves, that does not involve potentially hazardous exposure, should continue to use the existing DPA SAR Form 1694 (see Related Links on the right hand side for the DPA SAR Form 1694).
If you are not sure which of the above categories you fit into to or have any other queries about making a subject access request:
Please write to the address below, or fill in the DPA SAR Form 1694 saying why you think that the MOD may hold any records on you. Your correspondence must be accompanied by proof of identity as set out on the second page of the attached form.
MOD HQ SAR Co-ordinator
Level 1, Zone N
Ministry of Defence
Main Building
Whitehall
London SW1A 2HB