HC Deb 10 December 1992 vol 215 cc768-9W
Mr. Bill Michie

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the confidentiality of credit card debts and the rate of interest demanded.

Mr. Nelson

The legal principle that a banker owes a duty of confidentiality to his customer and should not disclose to any third party information about a customer's personal affairs—the "Tournier" rules—was established by a legal case in 1924. In addition, the Data Protection Act 1984 requires that data should be collected fairly and lawfully; held only for for specified purposes; not disclosed other than in accordance with those purposes; and held in conditions of appropriate security to prevent unauthorised access. The interest rates charged by credit card companies are a matter for their own commercial judgment.

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