I'm receiving nuisance calls from a market research company. Nothing too unusual about that, only in this case, it's because the DWP gave them my phone number! On Tuesday (19th June) I received a letter dated Monday 18th June, allegedly from the DWP informing me that I would be taking part in a telephone survey about my experience of the Job Centre, conducted by a market research organisation called TNS BMRB - not asking me if I wanted to, telling me that if I didn't contact the marketing research company involved, they would be phoning me by "late June". They said I could phone the TNS BMRB to opt out, or if I had difficulty using a phone, I could write to them. They didn't provide an address to write to, and there was no address on the letter to say where it came from. The letterhead said DWP in one corner and tns bmrb in another. It was signed Karen Elsmore, Senior Research Officer, Department of Work and Pensions. I sent a reply, by 1st class Recorded post, to the "If undelivered, return to:" address, on the back of the envelope. It was signed for on Wednesday, 20th June, Printed Name: MILLWARD BROWN-KANTAR That address was Kantar Operations Olympus Avenue Tachbrook Park Warwick CV34 6RJ It turns out the office address for the TNS BMRB is 6 More London Place London SE1 2QY TNS BMRB are, apparently part of, or linked with Kantar Operations (a notorious cold caller). Both those organisations now have my name, my phone number, and my address. Who knows what other details they now hold about me. I received my first nuisance call yesterday evening, and another one today, despite doing my best to opt out of the "survey". Both times they hung up when they got my answering machine, without leaving a message. First of all, I am registered with the Telephone Preferences Service to say that I don't wish to receive unsolicited calls. Presumably, they would use the excuse that the DWP gave them permission to ring me, despite me doing the best I could to say I didn't want them to. Secondly, I gave the DWP my phone number because I didn't seem to have any choice. At no point did I give them permission to share it with third parties. How is this not in breach of the Data Protection Act? The DWP website refers to it, and states a privacy policy. What gives them the legal right to pass on my personal information to a market research company, without my knowledge or consent? Sure, I know now, but that's because they told me after they'd done it. Thirdly, if this was about email, they would be in clear breach of the law for their policy of opting me in automatically, and making me take steps to opt out. Why doesn't the same law apply to phone calls? I consider this a breach of trust by the DWP. The fact that they've hired TNS BMRB / Kantar Operations doesn't give them the right to share my contact details, or other personal information with them. I'm furious about it, but I don't see what I can possibly do about it, other than change my phone number and refuse to share the new one with the DWP, citing this incident if they ask why.