Protecting personal data

Published on Friday 12 September 2008 20:44

The Scottish Government must be commended for establishing an expert group to advise on the privacy implications arising from the use of information technology by public services (your report, 9 September).

Since the Data Protection Act was enacted ten years ago, advances in computing power have brought significant changes to the way personal information is stored and processed. While some of these changes have offered scope for improvements to service provision, there has been insufficient attention to the issues of consent and privacy in a changing technological landscape. In this regard, the Data Protection Act now appears very weak and does not serve the public well.

Given the formidable composition of this expert group, it is to be hoped that it will not focus only on ensuring compliance within the existing legal framework, but also advise on how data protection legislation can be strengthened in Scotland to increase protection and control of data for ordinary citizens.

(DR) GERAINT BEVAN

NO2ID Scotland

Grovepark Gardens

Glasgow