To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions there are on the release of information from the secondary user's database; and what assessment he has made of the restrictions which will apply to prior transfer to the secondary user's database of information held by clinicians. (213349)

The release of patient-identifiable information from the secondary uses service database is subject to approval from the Patient Information Advisory Group (PIAG) which has a statutory role in approving access to patient information. Further restrictions are relating to the prior transfer of information held by clinicians arises from a secondary uses subgroup, established by the Care Record Development Board in March 2006, to assess the issues around uses of patient-identifiable data for purposes other than direct patient care. Their report was published in August 2007, copies have been placed in the Library and are also available on the connections for health website at:

www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/crdb/workstreams/secusesreport.pdf.