§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to extend the Data Protection Act to cover the handling of personal information by local authorities for the purpose of the collection of poll tax.
§ Mr. RentonNo. We do not consider that the community charge proposals raise issues which require amendment of the Data Protection Act.
§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to amend the Data Protection Act to prevent the disclosure by banks of confidential information about customers without the customers' knowledge.
§ Mr. RentonNone. Banking confidentiality is a matter of banking law and the question of disclosure is one that is currently being examined by the review of banking services law under the chairmanship of Professor Robert Jack. The Government expect the review committee to complete its report by the end of the year and will issue its response shortly thereafter.