No access to personal data in Statistics Norway

Data is not used to make decisions that directly affect the individual, only to create statistical tables where it is not possible to extract data on individuals.

If you are registered with a data controller (as defined in the Personal Data Act), you are normally entitled to know what data is held on you (Section 18 of the Personal Data Act). However, the Act makes an exemption for such access if the personal data is solely to be used for statistical purposes and the processing of the data will not have any direct impact on the registered party.

Processing of personal data in Statistics Norway

Statistics Norway carries out three different types of personal data processing:

1. Production of official statistics (pursuant to The Statistics Act)
2. Research and analysis (pursuant to The Statistics Act)
3. Production of non-official statistics/user-financed assignments

The data controller in Statistics Norway is the Director General. The day to day responsibility for the data controller’s duties lies with Statistics Norway’s security adviser and the relevant division head.

Data processed in Statistics Norway is placed in one of two categories:

• Data sourced directly from the registered party via a questionnaire, typically data on behaviour and attitudes to key social issues.
• Data retrieved from administrative computer systems in central government, e.g. from the tax authorities (income), NAV (benefits/employment), the education authorities (education) and the population register.

No personal data in Statistics Norway’s statistics

Statistics Norway produces, supplies and publishes statistics that do not contain personal data. The Statistics Act also provides for Statistics Norway supplying data for research purposes and for public planning. The data is normally anonymised before it is forwarded to any other parties, and personal ID numbers, names and addresses are always removed from the data. Where the data is collected with the respondent’s consent (voluntary survey), the respondent will always be informed during the data collection process that the data will be forwarded to other parties, who these parties are, and in what form the data will be supplied and for what purpose.