Freedom of information – three years on

Unsurprising news today that MPs from the Commons Justice Committee have recommended that the government need to severely strengthen the Data Protection Act. The report followed numerous information security breaches that came to light, in particular the loss of 25 million personal information records at the end of last year.

The BBC points out that at present, “government departments cannot be held criminally responsible for data protection breaches”, if the committee’s recommendations are followed, that could certainly change.

Over the Christmas period it also emerged that nine National Health Service trusts had lost patient records, believed to include personal information. This bookended the loss of 3 million learner driver details a week before, when the information was sent to a US private contractor.

Information Commissioner Richard Thomas has warned that there is more to come.

Meanwhile, I came across this snippet of research conducted for his office which was released earlier in the week. The findings examined the positive impact and benefit the Freedom of Information Act has had, three years since its inception.

Polling 1,000 people, the results showed over 80 per cent of respondents now have more confidence in public authorities because of the act. This increased from a figure of 58 per cent, taken three years ago – just before the Act was put into place.

Essentially the respondents felt their public institutions were now more transparent and accountable than before.

There is no mention of whether confidence in their MPs who voted to place restrictions on the Act last year, citing necessary cost reductions as justification, would have had any effect on the results.

I do wonder if twelve months from now a similar piece of research would lead to positive figures like the “three years on” study seem to reveal.

If strict measures are put into place and action is taken quickly moves could be made to restore some faith. Hopefully such measures will motivate those with responsibilities of protecting sensitive information: to treat it with the respect it deserves. That will need to apply as much to business as to government.

Ultimately business leaders and civil servant bosses will need the guidance of information experts like our readers. Let’s see if rock-bottom public confidence in governmental data protection can be restored this year. The only way is up – isn’t it?