Industry News
Posted on 20/12/2007
ICO welcomes new government sanctions to data laws
The Information Commissioner (ICO), Richard Thomas, has welcomed the government's pledge to introduce new sanctions under the Data Protection Act.
The sanctions come following the latest data blunder to hit the government, which resulted in the loss of three million British drivers' theory test records.
Chancellor Alistair Darling said the new sanctions will take account of the need to provide high levels of data security and ensure that sensible data-sharing practices can be conducted with legal certainty.
Legislation is likely to be pushed through Parliament next year - after a final report into the loss of child benefit records at HM Revenue & Customs by Kieran Poynter, chairman and senior partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Among the sanctions will be a toughening of penalties that could lead to a maximum jail term imprisonment, as well as strengthening the ICO's powers to carry out spot checks across the public sector.
Mr Thomas warned however, that it is essential the ICO is "properly resourced to discharge any new responsibilities".
© Adfero Ltd
Posted on 20/12/2007
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