House of Commons Catering Services Privacy Notice | Events & Hospitality Data

• About us
• The personal data we collect
• Our lawful basis for processing
• Who we share personal data with
• How long we keep your data
• Your data protection rights
• How to raise a concern or complaint
• Contact us

About us

We are the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA – which we refer to as ‘HOC’ in this notice. The Corporate Officer (Clerk of the House) is the Controller of any personal information processed as described in this Privacy Notice.

We have a Data Protection Officer, the Head of Information Compliance, who ensures that the day-to-day obligations of the data protection legislation are met. If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice, if you wish to exercise your rights, or if you wish to contact the Data Protection Officer, you can:

• Email: hcinformationcompliance@parliament.uk
• Telephone: +44 (0)20 7219 4296
• Write to: Information Compliance Service, House of Commons, UK Parliament, London, SW1A 0AA (marking it for the attention of the Data Protection Officer).

The Information Compliance Service is responsible for HOC’s compliance with data protection legislation by ensuring requests are handled appropriately and information is made publicly available where necessary.

The personal data we collect

We need to collect certain personal information to deliver the services you have asked for and to provide the best possible experience when you engage with us and use our products and services.

Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you for one or more of the following reasons:

• You make an enquiry or complaint, or provide feedback.
• You attend or register for an event.
• You make a table reservation in one of our restaurants.
• You subscribe to a newsletter.
• You represent an organisation at an event.
• You nominate someone for an award.
• You complete forms, such as event orders, catering requests, or accident or incident reports.

We process your personal data to:

• Enable you to access and use some of our services
  We use your information to accept you as a new or returning customer and to provide products and services to you, including where this is necessary to fulfil a contractual agreement between you and us.
  
  
• Communicate significant changes to products, terms, or policies
  We may contact you by email if there are significant changes to our products, services, terms, or this Privacy Notice.
  
  
• Confirm your identity and authenticate information
  As part of providing some services, we may confirm your identity and authenticate the information you provide for security purposes. This may involve checking the registration information you provide against information we already hold about you and, where appropriate, publicly available information such as company websites.
  
  
• Process payments and collect arrears
  We use your information to process payments connected with events, hospitality, and catering services, and to collect any overdue amounts for those services.
  
  
• Provide and improve customer experience
  We use your information to provide and improve the customer experience we offer.
  
  
• Administer offers, surveys, and promotions
  From time to time we may run promotions and surveys and use the personal data you provide to administer those activities.
  
  
• Marketing
  We may use the personal data we hold about you to send marketing communications and to refine our marketing approach. 
  

  You can opt ot at any time by clicking here or emailing hoceventsteam@parliament.uk

• Send service communications
  We may contact you about changes to, or issues affecting, the services you are using.
  
  
• Comply with legal obligations
  Where necessary and proportionate, we use your personal data to meet legal and regulatory obligations.
  
  
• Investigate, detect, and prevent crime
  We may use your information for the investigation, detection, and prevention of crime.
  
  
• Deliver internal training to staff
  We may use your information to support staff training where this helps us improve the service we provide.
  
  
• Perform reporting, analytics, and service development
  We may use your information, including how you respond to our communications, to understand how our services are used and to help improve them. Where appropriate, we may combine this with information provided by third parties or other teams across UK Parliament.
  
  
• Maintain accurate records and support administrative operations
  We process personal information for record-keeping, administrative purposes, and to keep our records accurate and up to date.
  
  
• Resolve complaints and disputes
  If you complain to us, we will use the information we hold about you to investigate and manage the matter.
  
  
• Improve data accuracy and completeness
  Information you provide may be used to update or improve the information we already hold about you.
  
  
• Invite you to participate in market research
  We may ask you to participate in research or provide feedback on services we have provided. Participation is entirely voluntary.

The personal data we process may include:

• Personal and contact details, such as name, email address, telephone number, organisation, and geographical location. Where not specified, we assign pronouns based on commonly recognised associations with first names. You’re welcome to tell us your preferences at any time.

• Proof of identity and security-related data, such as photographs and CCTV footage.

• Bank account and payment card details.

• Records of goods or services provided, including dietary and access requirements.

• Personal data shared through forms, submissions, or communications with us.

In limited circumstances, to support accessibility, personal preferences, and the services we provide, we may also process special category data, for example where you disclose dietary requirements for religious or health reasons.

This may include information relevant to accessibility or health needs where this is necessary to ensure the safe and appropriate delivery of events and services. We only collect this information where necessary and ensure it is handled with appropriate care and confidentiality.

Special category data may include:

• Racial or ethnic origin

• Religious or philosophical beliefs

• Health data

Where special category data is processed, this will be done under an appropriate lawful basis and condition for processing.

Use of systems and technology

We may use digital systems to manage bookings, communications, and operational processes. These systems support efficient service delivery and do not make decisions about individuals without appropriate human oversight.

Our lawful basis for processing

The law on data protection requires that, where we process your personal data, we must satisfy at least one prescribed lawful basis. We rely on a number of lawful bases depending on the nature of the processing.

• Necessary for the performance of a contract or to comply with law
  We process your personal data to deliver services you request or where required by law. If you choose not to provide certain information, this may affect our ability to provide some services.

• Consent
  In some cases we rely on your consent, for example for certain marketing communications, surveys, or promotional activity. Where consent is relied upon, you may withdraw it at any time.

• Necessary in our legitimate interests or those of a third party
  We may process personal information where this is necessary for the effective operation of our services, provided that your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms do not override those interests.
  
  Where we rely on legitimate interests, these may include:

• • Managing and delivering events, hospitality, and catering services.

  • Maintaining operational and administrative records.

  • Reporting, analytics, and service development, using anonymised information where appropriate.

  • Internal training to improve customer service.

  • Resolving customer queries, complaints, and disputes.

  • Ensuring the security and proper use of Parliamentary facilities.

Where we process special category data, an additional condition for processing is required. This will depend on the circumstances and may include your explicit consent, substantial public interest, or protection of vital interests in an emergency.

In compliance with DPA 2018, the House of Commons Special Category and Criminal Convictions Data Processing Policy provides further information about the processing of special category data.

Who we share personal data with

We may disclose your personal data to other organisations where we have a lawful basis to do so, where you have given your consent, or where sharing is necessary for the delivery of services.

Examples include:

• Other UK Parliament departments for the provision of shared services.

• Providers of contracted services, such as AV services, floristry, subscription providers, IT, hosting, and document management support.

• Health and safety, governmental, regulatory, or audit bodies where required.

• Debt recovery agencies where applicable.

• Distribution and other operational service providers acting on our behalf.

Where external suppliers act as our data processors, they are bound by written contracts to process personal data only in accordance with our instructions and applicable law.

We do not sell your personal data to other organisations for direct marketing purposes.

Events hosted by external organisations

If you attend an event on behalf of an external organisation or individual, please be aware that they may collect and use personal data such as images, video, or sound recordings. These may be published through their own websites, social media channels, or other materials.

If you wish to opt out of such recordings, you should contact the event organiser directly before the event. The House of Commons is not responsible for, and has no control over, the collection, use, or distribution of personal data by external organisations hosting events on the Parliamentary Estate. However, filming and photography at events must comply with the House of Commons Filming and Photography Rules at Events.

How long we keep your data

We take the security of your personal data seriously. Data is stored securely, both physically and electronically, in accordance with our policies and controls.

Some personal data may be hosted outside the UK, but predominantly within territories recognised as providing adequate protection. Transfers outside those territories are subject to appropriate safeguards.

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, operational, and records management requirements. Where appropriate, data is securely deleted or anonymised when it is no longer required.

For full retention details, see the Houses of Parliament Authorised Retention and Disposal Policy (ARDP) (pdf, 1MB).

Your data protection rights

You have rights over your personal data, including the right to:

• request access to the personal data we hold about you

• request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data

• request erasure of your data, where applicable

• object to or restrict certain types of processing

• request the transfer of your data in certain circumstances

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at: hoceventsteam@parliament.uk

We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request. We will respond in accordance with statutory timeframes.

How to raise a concern or complaint

If you have concerns about how your personal data is being handled, we encourage you to raise this with us in the first instance so that we can investigate and try to resolve the matter.

You can contact us at: hcinformationcompliance@parliament.uk

We will acknowledge your concern and aim to respond within a reasonable timeframe, depending on the complexity of the issue.

If you remain dissatisfied with our reponse, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk.

Contact us

If you would like to:

• Make a Freedom of Information or Environmental Information Regulations request, please refer to Freedom of Information page.
• Make a complaint about Catering Services, please refer to Compliments, Complaints and Comments scheme.
• Make a Subject Access Request, please refer to Data Protection and Your Privacy page.
• Exercise any of your rights or request information about this Privacy Notice, please contact the Data Protection Officer using the details set out above.

A separate privacy notice covering email subscription services can be found on the UK Parliament website.

Version 2.4 - applies from 01/04/2026