Training: BCS Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall, has announced an independent review of the culture, accountability and governance of the Information Commissioner's Office, telling MPs she was "absolutely appalled" at findings of sexual harassment and bullying made by the independent investigation into former Information Commissioner John Edwards.
Giving evidence to the Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on 8 July, Kendall also revealed that Edwards is "preparing to serve legal papers" on one of the women at the ICO who raised concerns about his behaviour earlier this year. The nature of the investigation's findings had not previously been made public.
Kendall set out three measures:
- an independent review of the culture, accountability and governance of the ICO
- the launch of the recruitment process for a new chair, beginning the following week
- the appointment of a new board of non-executive directors, the majority of whom will be women.
The chair and board appointments form part of the ICO's transition, under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, from a single Information Commissioner model to a body corporate - the Information Commission - with a non-executive chair, a board and a separate chief executive. The ICO opened a public consultation on a draft corporate strategy to bridge that transition on 10 July.
Kendall told the committee she was launching the review "because I take very seriously what's happened there and I will do everything I can to try and put this right", adding that "the women who've spoken up have been incredibly brave".
On the reported legal action, she said she did not know the identity of the woman concerned, but that by reporting her concerns she had supported the independent investigation that upheld multiple allegations against Edwards. Kendall said complainants needed to know they would always be listened to without being put at personal risk, and that she was "appalled by that behaviour".
Edwards stepped back from his duties in February while an independent workplace investigation was carried out. The ICO announced on 10 June that the investigation had concluded there was "a case to answer", and Edwards resigned on 19 June, some seven months before his term was due to end, saying he had made "attempts at humour that were inappropriate and caused offence".
The ICO said at the time that his behaviour "fell short of the conduct expected from a public official", and Kendall said in June that she had seen evidence of the "vulgar and highly sexualised language" used in his interactions with staff. Chief executive Paul Arnold has led the organisation under the ICO's scheme of delegation since Edwards stepped back.
In a letter to committee chair Dame Chi Onwurah on 29 June, Arnold said a thorough and independent lessons-learned exercise would shortly be commissioned by the ICO, reporting to the new Information Commission's board. Following Kendall's evidence, City AM reported that Arnold told staff the review announced by the secretary of state was the same exercise, now to be jointly commissioned by DSIT and the ICO.
The committee session, Work of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is available on the UK Parliament website: https://committees.parliament.uk/event/27775/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/
