Sharing data and linking data to other sources

Your information will be collected by SAC Consulting and shared with Scottish Government who are the data controllers.The data shared with Scottish Government will not contain personal names, personal addresses, personal contact details or business or holding references (BRN, CPH). Access to the data is restricted to staff who require to use it for the purposes described. Sections 13 to 18 of the Agriculture (Retained EU Law and Data) (Scotland) Act 2020 Part 2 allow Scottish Government to process and share data with authorised research institutes, universities and other government agencies, for research purposes.  Data collected prior to 2022 were also collected and submitted to the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) under EU legislation (Council Regulation (EC) No.1217/2009). In general, Scottish Government does not transfer personal data outside the UK.

With each request to share information with external organisations, Scottish Government will review the arrangements that the receiving body must securely hold the data, and the purposes of the research. There are strict criteria used to ensure acceptable conditions are met before Scottish Government shares data. If Scottish Government does share the data with external organisations, it is done so under data sharing agreements (DSAs) which include strict confidentiality restrictions covering how the data are securely stored, limiting access to only people who require it, ensuring that data are deleted after use and that no publications identify individuals or individual businesses. DSAs do not apply to internal data transfers within Scottish Government, but access is restricted to authorised staff.

Your information may be used to link to other data for research purposes. Linkage will only be done by specifically authorised analysts and once necessary approvals have been made by Scottish Government.