Privacy notice
Why is this data being collected?
The Generations and Gender Survey (GGS) has collected information from 7,000 people from the United Kingdom. It is part of an international collaboration with 20 countries having already taken part. The GGS provides data on families, partnerships and life courses and is part of the Generations and Gender Programme. To find out more visit: www.ggp-i.org
The University of Southampton in partnership with the Economic Social Research Council (ESRC) are funding the Generations and Gender Survey. The ESRC is the largest research council in the UK: http://www.ukri.org/councils/esrc
The University of Southampton have commissioned the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to carry out the study on their behalf. NatCen is Britain’s largest, independent, social research agency. For nearly 50 years it has worked with charities and government to find out what people really think about the big issues. NatCen is independent of all government departments and political parties.
The survey will give us more knowledge about how people in the UK live today. The study is aimed at women and men aged 18 to 59 and concerns all situations: in a couple or single, with or without children. We will be asking some sensitive questions surrounding family planning, fertility and partnership to better understand these events, but these questions can be refused.
Your personal data will only be used for research and statistical purposes. This means you will never receive any sales or marketing calls as a result of taking part in the survey.
What is the lawful basis for processing this data?
The legal basis for processing the data is ‘legitimate interest’. Participation is not a statutory or contractual requirement.
Who is the data controller?
The University of Southampton is the data controller. NatCen Social Research is the data processor.
More information on University of Southampton’s data protection policy can be found on the university’s website.
If you have a concern about any aspect of this study, you should speak to the researchers who will do their best to answer your questions.
If you remain unhappy or have a complaint about any aspect of this study, please contact the University of Southampton Research Integrity and Governance Manager (023 8059 5058, rgoinfo@soton.ac.uk).
What types of personal data will be processed?
The survey includes questions asking about ‘special category data’, such as:
Ethnic origin;
Religion; and
Whether you have had same-sex partners
It also includes contact information, such as your:
Email address;
Address; and
Phone number
The personal contact information we collect will only be used to recontact you in the future and will not be shared with anyone, including the researchers analysing the data.
Taking part is completely voluntary and you can skip any questions you do not wish to answer. The 9-digit identification number you use to access the survey will be removed from your survey answers. Only NatCen staff will have access to the 9-digit number and it will be used for follow-up if you consent to be re-contacted.
Your participation is voluntary and you may withdraw within 14 days for any reason without participation rights being affected. However, it may not be possible to remove the data once your contact information is no longer linked to the data.
On the basis of ‘legitimate interest’ the anonymised datasets will be kept indefinitely, as the survey data will continue to be useful to researchers and policy makers. For more information about your data, you can contact the NatCen Data Protection Officer by email and can read our data protection policy on the NatCen website.
Will data be shared with any third parties?
We would only share your information with your consent and it would only be used for research purposes. Only NatCen will have access to your contact information; all other researchers (including University of Southampton researchers) will receive anonymized datasets.
Do I have to take part?
Taking part is not a statutory or contractual requirement, and participation is therefore completely voluntary. There will be no consequences if you decide not to take part.
Will I be contacted again in the future?
If you choose to take part in this project, you will be asked at the end of the survey whether you would like to be contacted in the future for research purposes. If you agree to this, the University of Southampton and either NatCen or another third-party organisation employed by University of Southampton will contact you to see if you would like to take part in this research. This is completely voluntary.
Your personal details (name, address, telephone numbers, email addresses) are only used so that you can be contacted to take part in the future. These details are never made available to anyone who might use them for marketing purposes. You can revoke consent at any point for future research.
Where will my personal data be stored?
All personal data are stored securely, in line with international best practice and NatCen’s ISO27001, ISO 20252 and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.
Will any part of the processing be sub-contracted to a third party organisation?
Some elements of the processing, such as printing and postage will be sub-contracted. All sub-contractors working for NatCen come from our ‘Approved Supplier List’. These are suppliers that are already vetted by us with signed contracts and agreement already in place and refreshed every 12 months.
Will my survey answers be linked to any other information?
Your answers to this survey will not be linked to any other information. If you choose to take part in any future research, your answers will be compared to previous information you have provided to observe any changes.
How long will you keep my data?
Your personal data will be deleted when we no longer need it for research purposes. We will treat your information in the strictest confidence under current data protection legislation.
Your survey answers are put together with the answers from thousands of other participants and will be deposited with the UK Data Service and at the Generations and Gender Hub. There will be no information in the data which can identify you.
Will I have access to my data?
Yes, but please note that once data is aggregated and anonymised, we would not be able to change the results by removing individual information. However, you can request that your contact data be deleted or updated and we will let you know immediately if this is possible or not.
Complaints
If you believe we have not complied with your data protection rights you can contact us at dpo@natcen.ac.uk. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://ico.org.uk/concerns