Privacy

Mr. Heald
To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice if she will take steps to introduce a requirement to produce privacy impact assessments when regulatory impact assessments are undertaken.

Mr. McFadden
I have been asked to reply

Following a public consultation, on 2 April 2007 the Government announced the introduction of a new impact assessment (IA) process focused on improving the quality of the economic and other analysis underpinning policy-making.

While the Government have no current plans to incorporate privacy impact assessments into the IA process, they will consider the appropriate way to assess these impacts as proposals arise. In addition, as policy makers are already asked to take account of the full range of economic, social and environmental costs and benefits of their proposals, it would be expected that where privacy issues have a material impact on assessing the costs and benefits of proposals, these would also be taken into account.

Details of the new IA can be found at:

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/regulation/ria/index.asp.