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UK’s new Information Commissioner formally appointed
Her Majesty The Queen has approved the appointment of Elizabeth Denham as the UK’s Information Commissioner.
Ms Denham will take up the role from 18 July 2016 for a period of five years, replacing Christopher Graham whose term of office ended on 28 June 2016.
This follows approval by the Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee after a pre-appointment hearing on the 27 April 2016.
Ms Denham was previously the Commissioner at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, Canada.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent body set up to uphold information rights. The Department for Media, Culture and Sport is the ICO’s sponsoring department within Government. Further information about the ICO and its work can be found online at www.ico.org.uk.
Notes for editors
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Elizabeth Denham has held senior leadership positions in the field of information rights in Canada over the last 12 years. Since 2010 she has been the Commissioner at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, Canada, where she is responsible for enforcing the Canadian Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), and the Lobbyists Registration Act (LRA). Previously (2007-10) she was the Assistant Privacy Commissioner of Canada in Ottawa; having been a Director at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (2003-7).
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The salary for the role is £140,000. The appointment has been made in accordance with the OCPA Code of Practice. It is a requirement of the Code that political activity by those appointed is declared. Elizabeth Denham has declared no such political activity.