Senior Conservatives at Westminster want MPs to be exempt from the
Data Protection Act for fear of accidentally breaking the law when
forwarding constituency correspondence on to ministers or public
bodies.
Michael Spicer, chairman of the Conservative Party's 1922
Committee, raised the matter with leader of the Commons Robin
Cook.
His concern, prompted by approaches from worried MPs, follows the
suspension by councils of the sale of electoral registers after a
court decision that this breached data protection laws.
Spicer asked Cook, "Will you consider providing time to discuss the
impact of data protection legislation on MPs when they carry out
their constituency work?
"There is growing anxiety among MPs of all parties about that.
Changes in legislation that perhaps grant MPs some element of
privilege may be required.''
Cook replied, "I should be happy to hear from any MP who is
encountering specific problems that relate to data protection when
carrying out their constituency work. I shall pass on the
information to the Home Office.''
Spicer told Computer Weekly, "This comes about as a result of my
work as chairman of the 1922 Committee. Several MPs have come up to
me expressing worries about the effect of the Data Protection Act
on their constituency work."