Richard King, 25 June 2008
A brace of reports have strongly criticised the data protection record of HM Revenue and Customs which, in November 2007, lost in the post discs containing the personal details of 25 million people.
A quote from the Poynter Review:
The [data] loss was entirely avoidable and the fact that it could happen points to serious institutional deficiencies at HMRC.
...and one from the IPCC investigation:
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has found that the processes for data handling were woefully inadequate at HM Revenue and Customs' Child Benefit Office in Washington ... [there was] a complete lack of any meaningful systems; a lack of understanding of the importance of data handling; and a ‘muddle through’ ethos.
The Information Commissioner has said he will take formal enforcement action [pdf] against HMRC in light of the reports.
More coverage is available on the Open Rights Group blog.
