NILS Security Access to the NILS for approved researchers working on approved projects only. NILS micro-data can only be accessed in the Safe Setting - a supervised, secure environment. Record level data are NOT permitted to leave the Safe Setting under any circumstances. All outputs are checked to ensure that they adhere to the NILS Statistical Disclosure Control Policy.

The Assistant Information Commission for NI was involved in 2004 to ensure legislation was right (law was changed in 2004) ORECNI favourable opinion for the NILS and all associated research (twice) Privacy Advisory Committee ‘endorses’ the NILS processes BSO & GPC (NI) content with use of their data in NILS Data Sharing agreements between NISRA and data suppliers (updated regularly) Key Stakeholders consulted

Legal Context The NILS is processed under the following Census legislation Census Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 The Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (section 22) These pieces of legislation enable the Registrar General to gather information from other organizations ‘concerning the population of Northern Ireland’ ‘between one census and another’

How can Health Data be given to the Registrar General ? Notification of Births Act Allows medical officers or DHSS&PS to provide information to the RG on all babies born in NI. Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 (sections 43) - Allows DHSS&PS to assist anyone conducting research into health. All NILS projects are assessed at approvals stage to ensure that they meet the relevant health criteria.

Ethical Approval ORECNI – Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland The creation of the NILS data and the associated policies and procedures to protect the data, have been assessed by ORECNI on two occasions. A favorable ethical opinion was given on both submissions. Creation of database and all associated research included