Personal Data Mr. Cohen To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he has taken to ensure that the chargepayer's privacy is adequately protected when information is disclosed by a community charge registration office or charging authority without the knowledge or consent of the charge payer; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he will introduce regulations to provide that a community charges registration officer should not disclose information about a charge payer to another community charges registration officer without the knowledge or informed and express consent of the charge payer; and whether he will make a statement. Mr. Key Community charges registration officers and charging authorities may only make use of information they have obtained in carrying out their statutory functions in accordance with their powers under the Local Government Finance Act 1988, and are bound by the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984. There is no intention to alter this position. Mr. Cohen To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department will take positive steps to discuss with the Data Protection Registrar, all his Department's legislation that impacts on the use, collection, processing or holding of personal data; and whether he will make a statement. Mr. Christopher Patten I am reminding my officials of the need to consult the registrar about proposed legislation which might affect or be affected by the Data Protection Act 1984.--------------- | | --------------- | | --------------- |December 1960| --------------- |December 1970| --------------- |December 1980| --------------- |December 1989| --------------- |June 1990 | ---------------