To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make it his policy for his Department to sign the Information Commissioner’s Personal Information Promise. (258948)

The Government welcome the promise as a commendable initiative to raise awareness of the importance of effective data protection safeguards, particularly for those organisations with no similar commitments already in place.

The Government take data protection very seriously. Following the Cabinet Office Review of Data Handling Procedures in Government, Departments have been required to implement a number of measures to improve data security.

The Ministry of Justice is considering with the Information Commissioner’s office how the promise might add additional value to those measures that are already in place within Government, including published departmental information charters.