Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances freelance journalists are required by virtue of their occupation to register with the Information Commissioner.

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires data controllers to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), unless they are exempt. A data controller is the person who determines why and how personal data will be processed and is normally an organisation but can be an individual, for example a sole trader or freelance journalist. The ICO’s website contains further guidance on who is required to register and the exemptions that apply. http://ico.org.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/registration