This article is part of the multi-jurisdictional guide to outsourcing. For a full list of contents, please visit www.practicallaw.com/outsourcinghandbook.

This article outlines some key issues companies should consider regarding the processing of personal information in UK outsourcing transactions. In particular, it explains: The principles of the Data Protection 1998 Act concerning the processing of personal data, the key rights that the Data Protection Act gives to data subjects, the consequences for companies of breaching the Data Protection Act and the key issues that arise in outsourcing transactions as a result of the Data Protection Act's requirements.