
1 

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Data Protection Act 2018 (Qualifying Competent Authorities) Regulations 2025.
(2) These Regulations come into force on the twenty-first day after the day on which they are made.
(3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
2 
The following competent authorities are qualifying competent authorities for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018—
(a) any United Kingdom government department other than a non-ministerial government department;
(b) the chief constable of a police force maintained under section 2 of the Police Act 1996;
(c) the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis;
(d) the Commissioner of Police for the City of London;
(e) the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland;
(f) the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland;
(g) the chief constable of the British Transport Police;
(h) the chief constable of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary;
(i) the chief constable of the Ministry of Defence Police;
(j) the Provost Marshal of the Royal Navy Police;
(k) the Provost Marshal of the Royal Military Police;
(l) the Provost Marshal of the Royal Air Force Police;
(m) the Provost Marshal for serious crime;
(n) the chief officer of—
(i) a body of constables appointed under provision incorporating section 79 of the Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act 1847;
(ii) a body of constables appointed under an order made under section 14 of the Harbours Act 1964;
(iii) the body of constables appointed under section 154 of the Port of London Act 1968;
(o) a body established in accordance with a collaboration agreement under section 22A of the Police Act 1996;
(p) the Commissioners for His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs;
(q) the Director General of the National Crime Agency;
(r) His Majesty’s Land Registry;
(s) the Parole Board for England and Wales;
(t) the Parole Board for Scotland;
(u) the Parole Commissioners for Northern Ireland;
(v) the Probation Board for Northern Ireland;
(w) a person who is, under or by virtue of any enactment, responsible for securing the electronic monitoring of an individual.
Sarah Jones
Minister of State
Home Office
27th October 2025