_

_

_

_

_

 

21Nov07

LOST DATA RISK TO CHILDREN

A massive 22,340 children in the Stretford and Urmston constituency are affected by the latest data protection blunder at HM Revenue & Customs (formerly the Inland Revenue).

The figures, obtained by Mark Versallion, prospective Conservative MP, follow the disclosure that the name and personal details of every child in the country have been ‘lost in the post’.

The discs were lost on the 18th October, Gordon Brown and the Chancellor were informed on the 10th November but then did not inform parliament and the nation for another ten days, on 20th November, with Gordon Brown apologising the next day.

Mark Versallion said, “Families across Stretford and Urmston are rightly concerned about their personal security; not least their bank details potentially getting into the hands of criminals and fraudsters. A total 7.25 million families' bank account records containing 25 million parents and children were on the discs, including names, dates of birth, gender, postal address, national Insurance numbers, and bank details."

"The Government has failed in its most fundamental of duties, to protect the public. People must be able to trust the Government but I'm afraid this latest calamity has left people feeling angry and let down" said the parliament candidate." The Chancellor denied this "mistake" was in any way a result of the recent staff cuts and merger of the Revenue and Customer departments, as claimed by staff who emailed the media this week.

"This latest blunder is yet further evidence that the Government is not capable of running their proposed national ID card with its huge database and £6bn bill to the taxpayer.”