Government plans personal data sharing scheme
- Author:
- Antony Savvas
- Posted:
- 14:17 15 Jan 2009
- Topics:
- IT Strategic Planning | Regulatory Compliance
The government is planning to allow Whitehall and the wider public sector to more easily share personal data across organisations.
The proposal has been slammed by the government opposition and privacy campaigners. It was tagged onto a planned new law dealing with coroner procedures and bereaved families.
Justice minister Jack Straw says the data sharing plan will make it easier to fight crime. He also said it would benefit citizens receiving government services, as paperwork they have to complete will be reduced.
The move however will reverse the fundamental data protection principle that information provided to one government agency, for one purpose, should not normally be used by another for a different purpose.
Straw's stance has not been helped by a contant stream of government personal data breaches coming to light.
Read more about data protection:
Data losses may jeopardise lives, says information commissioner >>
Information Commissioner's Officer to analyse EU Data Protection Directive >>
Regulatory action is biggest data protection fear for financial firms >>
