§ Mr. Weetchasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will put in hand a full inquiry into the unauthorised leak of confidential medical information by his Department's Office in Ipswich in connection with recent police investigations; and whether he will make a statement;
(2) whether he will place in the Library a copy of any instructions or guidelines to local officers of his Department in relation to divulging confidential medical information to the police;
(3) whether he will take disciplinary action in relation to any official in his Department at his Department's office in Ipswich who was responsible for imparting confidential information to Suffolk police officers.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 26 March, 1984, c. 65I have arranged for a copy of the departmental 599W instructions on the disclosure of information from social security records to the police to be placed in the Library. I have asked for a full report on the incident at Ipswich but initial information suggests that the disclosure of 600W information did not fall within departmental guidelines. I regret any distress caused and will take any remedial action which I think necessary in the light of the information in the report.