(Bloomberg) --Britain's top data watchdog apologized to NatWest Group Plc's former chief executive officer for incorrectly suggesting she had breached data protection laws last month.
The U.K. Information Commissioner's Office said it had incorrectly given the impression that it had examined the actions of Alison Rose, when it was NatWest that was under investigation. The agency said its investigation did not find that Rose had breached data protection law when she discussed the closing of Nigel Farage's bank account with a reporter, and said it regretted giving the impression that she had.
"We apologize to Ms. Rose for suggesting that we had made a finding that she breached the U.K. GDPR in respect of Mr. Farage when we had not investigated her," the agency said in a statement. "We accept that it would have been appropriate in the specific circumstances for us to have given Ms. Rose an opportunity to comment on any findings in relation to her role and regret not doing so."
The Information Commissioner's Office had been investigating whether NatWest infringed on the ex-politician's data rights after Rose admitted to speaking with a BBC journalist earlier this year about Farage's accounts. The agency said last month that it wasn't planning further regulatory action against NatWest.
"I had not even been aware of the existence of the investigation, nor been asked any questions," Rose said in an emailed statement. "The ICO has now acknowledged that they did not find that I breached data protection law. I welcome the clarification and accept the ICO's apology."
NatWest
The lender said it would make a number of changes to its policies and procedures around closing clients' account and will disclose its decision on whether it will cut Rose's pay as soon as possible.
