asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 24 April concerning the costs of the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum, what are the details of the chairman's costs when he travelled to work; whether it is normal for a person with a public appointment in Northern Ireland in receipt of a salary to have such costs paid; and, if so, who else has such expenses paid. [HL3316]

The costs of Chris Sidoti's travel to Northern Ireland are outlined in my previous Answers of 26 March (Official Report, col. WA 96), and 24 April (Official Report, col. WA 316).

According to Cabinet Office guidance (Making and Managing Public Appointments—A Guide for Departments, fourth edition, February 2006) all members of public bodies are eligible to be reimbursed for the costs of travel and subsistence associated with their public duties. As the noble Lord will be aware from my Answer of 3 March 2008 (Official Report, col. WA 160), the Bill of Rights Forum did not come within the definition of a public body. However, the Government consider it appropriate that the overriding principle that no appointee should be out of pocket as a result of his or her appointment should still apply to appointments to ad hoc advisory bodies such as the forum.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 February (WA 45-6) and 13 May (WA 129) concerning the appointment of the chairman of the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum how, in the absence of a curriculum vitae for Mr Chris Sidoti, they obtained the “personal data” referred to; what those personal data referred to; and why they have not been published. [HL3759]

The Data Protection Act 1998 refers to personal data as,

“data which relate to a living individual who can be identified—(a) from those data, or (b) from those data and other information which is in the possession of, or is likely to come into the possession of, the data controller, and includes any expression of opinion about the individual and any indication of the intentions of the data controller or any other person in respect of the individual”.

“Personal data”, in this sense, therefore refers to the shortlist of candidates that was provided to NIO Ministers. To disclose this list would identify individuals who were put to Ministers for consideration as chair of the Bill of Rights Forum.