Background
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 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 your request will be processed
Requests for personal data made in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) are dealt with under DPA98 if the applicant is also the person to whom the personal data relates. Requests relating to third parties (i.e. living individuals other than the applicant) may also be considered in accordance with DPA98 or under FOIA if certain conditions apply. DPA98 does not apply to requests for personal information relating to deceased individuals. Such requests will be considered in accordance with FOIA and other relevant legislation e.g. European Convention Human Rights (ECHR) as embodied in the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA98), Access to Health Records Act 1990 (AHRA90).
To make a request for information contained within Records of Service of deceased Service personnel, please visit "Making a request for service details of deceased service personnel" page or search the MOD Publication Scheme by using the keywords “Records of Service”.
Helping us to respond to your request
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 currently serving in the Armed Forces or as a civilian in the MOD
Please follow your Service/civilian instructions. If you do not know what these are, contact either your unit Data Protection Officer (DPO) or your TLB/Agency DPO (whose name is available on the MOD Intranet Data Protection website) for advice.
If you have previously served in the Armed Forces or as a civilian in the MOD
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 107
Victory Building
HM Naval Base
Portsmouth PO2 8BY
Army:
Army Personnel Centre Secretariat
Disclosures 2
Mail Point 515
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow G2 8EX
RAF:
RAF Disclosures
Room 221B, Trenchard Hall
RAF Cranwell
SLEAFORD
Lincs, 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 Support Group (DSG)
Defence Support Group
Building 203
Monxton Road
Andover
Hants SP11 8HT
Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S)
DPT Life at Work
DPA 98 Team
Spur 8, D Block
Ensleigh
Bath BA1 5AB
Defence Science and Technology Laboratories (DSTL)
Corporate Secretariat
Room 23, Bldg 106
DSTL
Porton Down, Salisbury
Wilts SP4 0JQ
DSTL Records Manager
Room 2 Bldg 248
Porton Down
Salisbury
Wilts S14 OJQ
Meteorological Office (Met Office)
Met Office
FOI/Data Protection Manager
Green Island 1
Fitzroy Rd
Exeter
Devon EX1 3PB
UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO)
UK Hydrographic Office
Admiralty Way
TAUNTON
Somerset TA1 2DN
QinetiQ (NB: for residual Employment history of former DERA personnel only).
Group Data Protection Manager
QinetiQ Ltd
Bldg A7
Cody Technology Park
Farnborough
Hants GU14 OLX
Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA)
Data Protection Team
Room 6303
Tomlinson House
Norcross
Thornton Cleveleys
FY5 3WP
Defence Supply Chain Operations and Movements (DTMA)
DTMA Personnel Manager
Building 400
Monxton Road
Andover SP11 8HT
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).
For all other requests e.g. Persons who do not fit into any of the above categories
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 3, Zone F, Desk 06
Ministry of Defence
Main Building
Whitehall
London SW1A 2HB