Government backs ICO's call for higher data fines

by Ben Bold, Brand Republic 17-Jul-08, 12:25

LONDON - The justice minister Michael Wills MP has backed the call by Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, to be handed greater investigative powers and the right to issue seven-figure fines to companies and organisations that breach data protection laws.

Wills said: "We believe sharpening the Information Commissioner's teeth will enable him to be a stronger, more effective regulator.

"The way we use and protect information affects our ability to deliver better public services, opportunities for the most disadvantaged, improved protection from crime and terrorism and sustained economic wellbeing."

He made the comments yesterday when he launched a consultation on his department's proposals, which will also increase funding for Information Commissioner's Office.

The move comes in the wake of the last week's publication of a data-sharing review conducted by Thomas and Dr Mark Walport of the Wellcome Trust, which recommended that councils should be prevented from selling electoral roll data to marketers.

Last week's data-sharing report said that selling electoral roll data sends "a particularly poor message to the public that personal information collected for something as vital as participation in the democratic process can be sold to anyone for any purpose".

Another key recommendation in the report is that the ICO be given the power to impose a £10 fine for each person affected by data breaches or losses. With HMRC having lost two discs containing the details of 25m child benefit claimants last year, the government itself would have been liable to a £250m fine.