MP committee today to quiz senior ministers about Government data losses

Jenny Robins (15 July 2008  09:52)

Source: PublicTechnology.Net

The House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) is today (Tuesday 15 July) having a one-off session on data handling in government. It will hear from Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Sir Gus O'Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, and John Fiennes, a senior civil servant.

The session is prompted by the series of recent data losses and breaches in government, including:

• The loss of two discs containing the Child Benefit records of 25 million people in October 2007;
• The theft in January 2008 of a Ministry of Defence laptop containing the names and passport numbers of one million people, including 600,000 military recruits; and
• Two incidents in June 2008 involving sensitive intelligence and security documents being left on trains.

The Committee will explore the issues raised by the data losses for how Government conducts its business, as well as the Government's proposals for improving how information is used and kept secure.

Committee Membership:
Tony Wright (Chairman) (Lab) (Cannock Chase), Mr David Burrowes (Con) (Enfield, Southgate), Paul Flynn (Lab) (Newport West), David Heyes (Lab) (Ashton under Lyne), Kelvin Hopkins (Lab) (Luton North), Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Con) (Bridgewater), Julie Morgan (Lab) (Cardiff North), Mr Gordon Prentice (Lab) (Pendle), Paul Rowen (Lib Dem) (Rochdale), Charles Walker (Con) (Broxbourne), Jenny Willott (Lib Dem) (Cardiff Central)

Related links to this article:
House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee

Back to news list