(2) what databases managed by his Department and its agencies hold personal information on members of the public; on what date each such database became operational; and if he will make a statement.
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform does not hold any protected personal information about members of the public in any of its databases.
I have asked the Chief Executives of Companies House and the Insolvency Service to respond to the hon. Member directly.
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 15 May 2009:
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has asked me to reply to you directly on behalf of The Insolvency Service on what categories of his personal information about members of the public are contained on each relevant database managed by his Department and its agencies; on what date each category of information began to be collected; and if he will make a statement.
The requested details for the databases managed by the Insolvency Service Agency are contained in the following table:
Database Categories of Personal Information held Date the data began to be collected LOIS—(Official Receiver’s Case Management System) Name, address, occupation, date and place of birth, national insurance number, for individual insolvents April 1993 for all categories of data Name, address, occupation, date and place of birth, national insurance number, for directors of insolvent companies Name and address details for creditors LOLA—(Financial administration system for Official Receiver’s cases) Full name for individual insolvents April 1996 for all categories of data Name, address and (in some cases) bank account details for creditors BANCS (Financial administration system for Insolvency Practitioner cases) Full name for individual insolvents October 1994 for all categories of data Name, address and (in some cases) bank account details for creditors Central Index—(Consolidated summary database for Official Receiver and Insolvency Practitioner cases) Name, address, occupation, date and place of birth, national insurance number for individual insolvents April 1994 for all categories of data Name, address, occupation, date and place of birth, national insurance number, for directors of insolvent companies Name, address and contact details for Insolvency Practitioners DRO—(Debt Relief Order database) Name, address, occupation, date and place of birth, national insurance number for individual insolvents. April 1994 for all categories of data Name, address, occupation, date and place of birth, national insurance number, for directors of insolvent companies Name, address and contact details for Insolvency Practitioners I-Solv—(Database of applicants for online bankruptcy) Name, address, occupation, date and place of birth, national insurance number, for individual insolvents April 2005 for all categories of data Name, address and claim details for creditors Name, address and details of amounts owing for debtors CHIRPS—(Redundancy Payments Service case management system) Name, address, occupation, date and place of birth, national insurance number, bank account details for applicants for statutory redundancy payments November 1997 for all categories of data EMS—(Investigations and enforcement case management system) Name, address, and date of birth for individuals who are the subject of investigation or enforcement activities April 2005 for all categories of data IBIS—(Case management system of Companies Investigation Branch) Name, address, and contact details of complainants January 2002 for all categories of data Name, address, date and place of birth of disqualified directors e-IRR Online, searchable database of current individual insolvency orders) Name, address, occupation, date of birth for individuals subject to insolvency orders April 2004 Name, address, occupation, date of birth, date and duration of restriction, for individuals subject to a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order June 2004 Disqualified Directors Database Name, address, date of birth, date and duration of order, for directors subject to a disqualification order September 2005 Finance Section Database Name, address and bank account details for individual payees in relation to redundancy payment claims April 2006 Name, address and bank details of job applicants (successful and unsuccessful) who were paid expenses for job interviews and tests April 2004
Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 15 May 2009:
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has asked me to reply to you directly on behalf of The Insolvency Service on what databases managed by his Department and its agencies hold personal information on individual members of the public; on what date each such database became operational; and if he will make a statement.
The requested details for the databases managed by the Insolvency Service Agency are contained in the following table:
Database Date the database became operational LOIS—(Official Receiver’s Case Management System) April 1993 LOLA—(Financial administration system for Official Receiver’s cases) April 1996 BANCS—(Financial administration system for Insolvency Practitioner cases) October 1994 Central Index—(Consolidated summary database for Official Receiver and Insolvency Practitioner cases) April 1994 DRO—(Debt Relief Order database) April 2009 I-Solv—(Database of online applicants for bankruptcy) April 2005 CHIRPS—(Redundancy Payments Service case management system) November 1997 EMS—(Investigations and enforcement case management system) April 2005 IBIS—(Case management system of Companies Investigation Branch) January 2002 e-IRR (Online, searchable database of current individual insolvency orders) April 2004 Database of Disqualified Directors September 2005 Finance Section Database April 2004
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 15 May 2009:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 May 2009, UIN 274174, to the Minister of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
Companies House is required by legislation to hold the following personal information about members of the public:
Names, addresses and dates of birth of company directors.
Names and addresses of company secretaries.
Names and addresses of company shareholders.
This information has been collected under various Companies Acts since 1844 but has only been held on an electronic database since 1986.
Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 15 May 2009:
I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 6 May 2009, UIN 274175, to the Minister of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
The current register of companies database (known as CHIPS) became operational on 25 February 2008, superseding the previous version of the database (known as STEM), which had been operational since 1986. There is also an image database, holding electronic images of documents filed, which became operational in 1995. All these databases hold personal information, most of which is publicly available.