This piece of work is about legal issues for business communication

1. Activity 1 - Find out what you can about the
following legislation:
• Human Rights Act
• Freedom of Information Act
• Data Protection Act
Quote any sources you use. Make sure that you use more than one source of
information.
See if you can find news articles that show how these laws have affected
businesses.

2. Human rights was passed in 1998; which means that your rights in the UK and
the public organisations must be treated right. This is that every person that is
employed in a business has rights within the business; such as getting paid
fairly also treated equally. Human rights are rights belonging to a person no-matter
what they look like.
A lot of people can use Human rights such as:
• A child
• An adult
• A prisoner
• A member of the public
• Companies or organisations
http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/human-rights/human-rights/the-human-rights-act/

3. Human Rights Act protect people by:
• The right to life
• The prohibition of torture and inhuman
• Protection against slavery and forced labour
• The right to liberty and freedom
• The right to be fair trial and no punishment without law
• Respect for privacy and family life and the right to marry
• Freedom of thought, religion and belief
• Free speech and peaceful protest
• No Discrimination
• Protection of property
http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/human-rights/
human-rights/the-human-rights-act/

4. This news article is saying that “Human
Rights Act must stay” said the CPS director
Keir Starmer.
This would hurt the victims of crime and
witnesses alike said Keir Starmer.
So this news article is about a CPS director
saying that the Human Rights Act must stay
as it will keep everybody equally no-one
left behind or treated unfairly.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/human-rights-act-
must-stay-says-cps-director-keir-starmer-8877637.html

5. This news article is about that
Elderly people pay for there
treatment and because of Human
Rights they are getting poor
treatment!
People who funded by the state may
sue care homes on Human Rights
grounds if they are treated badly.
The house of lords voted 247 to 218
to support people paying for their
own treatment; will be covered by
the Human Rights Act.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-
2464011/Human-rights-laws-help-middle-class-elderly-fund-
care.html

6. The next election will decide
weather if the Human Rights
Act will change!
Nothing is being ruled out in
the Human Rights Act but
things can be added either to
improve people’s life or it
could be something to make
them angry!
The mail on Sunday reported the Home secretary as they are
planning to pull Britain out of the ECHR!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21651004

7. What is Freedom of Information Act:
The freedom of information Act came in 2000 to provide public access to information help by
Public authorities.
It does this in 2 ways:
• Public authorities are to publish certain information about their activities.
and
• Members of the public are allowed to request information form public
authorities.
This act covers any recorded information that is held by the public authority in England,
Northern Ireland and Wales.
This Act does not cover every organisation that receives public money!
http://www.ico.org.uk/for_organisations/freedom_of_information/guide/act

8. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19775763
This news article is about that
the freedom of information will
include ministers private texts so
mainly everyone can see it!
Private e-mails have been
sent about education!
The freedom of information act
has helped the government to
be more open.

9. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17030616
This news article is about how the
freedom of information is flawing
downhill!
The freedom of information act is not
being trusted as much now!
In the memorandum that they produced
carried out a survey on the behalf by
pollsters ipsos Mori; which this question
the government about government
departments such as public authorities so
the police is involve in public authorities.

10. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18987496
This news article is about Blair
getting criticized by the freedom of
information!
Blair has been a critic of the laws
when he was introduced by the
prime minister.
This act has been working well from
heard evidence!
Mr Blair apologised for the delay to
respond to questions.

11. What is Data Protection Act? The Data Protection Act I show you personal
information is used by organisations, businesses or by the government.
Everyone that uses data has to follow rules they are:
• Fairly and lawfully
• Limited, specifically stated purposes
• Use in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive!
• Safe and secure
and many more
The Data Protection Act is stronger against these:
• Ethnic Background
• Political opinions
• Religions Beliefs
• Health
• Sexual Health
• Criminal Records
https://www.gov.uk/data-protection

12. This news article is about that someone get fined £100,000 for child sex abuse; so the
Data Protection Act, it acted.
The Sheffield- based A4e
was fine £60,000 for
losing a laptop that had
details of over a
thousand people.
Sends a message to
say that they have a
fine!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11821203

13. In 2012 the Welsh broke the Data Protection
60 times!
There was several cases and 24 of them
were disclosed sensitive details of dead
people.
22 local authorities say that they had
recorded no breaches last year!
The Data Protection is making improvements as
an investigation says that it is.
Recording wrong personal information and
sending them out to the wrong addresses.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23581684

14. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-21451611
This news article is about the
police breaking the Data
Protection Law 62 times!
They were caught carrying out
breaches for non-policing purposes.
This news article says that they
shouldn’t abuse the act and only
use it for their policing duties.
28 incidents in 2011 and 2012 that
has breached the Act!

15. The data protection is linked to Tesco as the principles of the data protection act are these:
• Obtained and processed fairly and lawful
• Held and used only for the purpose
• Details will not get out top anybody else
As the data protection helps keep customers information on the Tesco website as customers
can order products from Tesco on their website but in order to buy the products and get them
delivered to your house you will need to provide your details such as :
• Your name
• Your address
• Telephone
• E-mail address
• Occupation
So none of the above will get out to the public or anybody else will find out
except Tesco as them are the ones that are
delivering to your address.