Multiple data permutation operations in respective different dimensions are used to provide an overall effective data permutation using smaller blocks of data in each permutation than would be used in directly implementing the overall permutation in a single permutation operation. Data that has been permuted in one permutation operation is block interleaved, and the interleaved data is then permuted in a subsequent permutation operation. A matrix transpose is one example of block interleaving that could be applied between permutation operations.