Loss of personal and sensitive data should be an offence
January 12, 2008
A group of MPs has stated that agencies and firms found to have recklessly or repeatedly lost sensitive and personal data should be charged with a criminal offence. Members of the Justice Select Committee are calling for more stringent laws and increased powers when it comes to loss of sensitive data, stating that the level of recent incidents involving the loss of personal data has highlighted the need to take action with regards to this type of incident.
Over recent weeks there have been a number of data loss incidents in the UK, the most high profile of which was the loss of two discs by HM Revenue and Customs, which contained the banking and personal details of 25 million people. This incident occurred just weeks after HMRC lost other discs that contained the personal details of fifteen thousand people that held pension plans with Standard Life – the discs were lost on their way to the Standard Life headquarters.
Alan Beith, chairman of the committee, stated: “The scale of the data loss by government bodies and contractors is truly shocking but the evidence we have had points to further hidden problems. It is frankly incredible, for example, that the measures HMRC has put in place were not already standard procedure.”
The Committee also stated: “There is evidence of a widespread problem within government relating to establishing systems for data protection and operating them adequately.”
A number of agencies and firms have come forward recently to reveal that sensitive data relating to consumers or staff members has been lost. In addition to a couple of banks coming forward, other losses have been admitted to by the DVLA, the Department of Work and Pensions, and the NHS.
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