UK’s new Information Commissioner formally appointed

Update on 29 October 2021:

Elizabeth Denham’s term as the Information Commissioner comes to an end on 30 November.

John Edwards, who is currently serving as the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner, was approved by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee as the next Information Commissioner after a pre-appointment hearing on 9 September 2021. Mr Edwards is expected to take up his position on 3 January 2022.

Paul Arnold, the ICO’s Deputy Chief Executive, will be designated as the ICO’s Accounting Officer from 1 December 2021 until 2 January 2022. The regulatory responsibilities of the Commissioner are delegated to Deputy Commissioners through the ICO’s Scheme of Delegation. This ensures continuity of regulatory decision making during this period.

Update on 25 January 2021:

Following a request from the Secretary of State for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham has agreed to extend her term of office by just over three months ending on 31 October 2021 while the recruitment process for her successor is completed.

Ms Denham will take up the role from 18 July 2016 for a period of five years, replacing Christopher Graham whose term of office ended on 28 June 2016.

This follows approval by the Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee after a pre-appointment hearing on the 27 April 2016.

Ms Denham was previously the Commissioner at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, Canada.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent body set up to uphold information rights. The Department for Media, Culture and Sport is the ICO’s sponsoring department within Government. Further information about the ICO and its work can be found online at www.ico.org.uk.

Notes for editors

1. Elizabeth Denham has held senior leadership positions in the field of information rights in Canada over the last 12 years. Since 2010 she has been the Commissioner at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, Canada, where she is responsible for enforcing the Canadian Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), and the Lobbyists Registration Act (LRA). Previously (2007-10) she was the Assistant Privacy Commissioner of Canada in Ottawa; having been a Director at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (2003-7).

2. The salary for the role is £140,000. The appointment has been made in accordance with the OCPA Code of Practice. It is a requirement of the Code that political activity by those appointed is declared. Elizabeth Denham has declared no such political activity.