Information Commissioner welcomes new powers

The Information Commissioner's Office has welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement that it will be given the power to carry out spot checks on government departments.

The move follows revelations from Chancellor Alistair Darling on Tuesday that HM Revenue and Cusotms had lost two discs sent through the internal mail to the National Audit Office containing entire personal files of 10 million UK adults and their 15 million children.

Information Commissioner Richard Thomas welcomed the announcement that will allow the ICO to check compliance with the Data Protection Act.

"For some time I have been pressing the government to give my Office the power to audit and inspect organisations that process people's personal information without first having to get their consent," he said.

He added that the move would ultimately ensure better compliance with the law, protect people's data and that his office will work with the Ministry of Justice to confirm the detail of the announcement.

"It is essential that we are properly resourced to carry out this new function," added Thomas.

He also called for a change in the law that would make security breaches of this magnitude a criminal offence, so the ICO could use criminal proceedings as a deterrent.

"The law needs to be changed urgently so that people's personal details are properly protected," Thomas claimed. "The onus is now on every organisation to take privacy far more seriously. Alarm bells must ring in every boardroom. Data protection safeguards must be technically robust and idiot proof."

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