HC Deb 10 February 1989 vol 146 cc820-1W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many private survey and other research organisations have access to the police national computer.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Organisations of this kind do not have direct access to the PNC. But chief officers of police may, from time to time, provide information from police records, including records held on the PNC, to assist such organisations in particular projects, where this is clearly in the public interest.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what safeguards there are against non-governmental organisations and private organisations using the police national computer.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Measures taken to prevent access to the PNC by unauthorised bodies, such as nongovernmental and private organisations, include restrictions on access from public telephone lines, and regular checks centrally and in forces on accesses to the information held on the PNC. These measures are being reviewed in the light of recent cases, although these cases involved the misuse of the PNC by personnel who were authorised to have access.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons British Telecom has access to the police national computer.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

British Telecom does not have direct access to the Police National Computer. It does, however, receive from the police details of convictions of members of its staff, and some of this information is held on the PNC.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the BBC has access to the police national computer.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The BBC does not have direct access to the PNC. It may, however receive from the police information held on the PNC in the course of carrying out the security procedures referred to recently in my hon. Friend's reply to questions from the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) on 1 February 1989 at column254.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-governmental organisations have access to the police national computer.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

No non-governmental organisations have direct access to the PNC, but arrangements exist for information from police records, including the records held on the PNC, to be disclosed to selected organisations where this is clearly in the public interest—for instance, the arrangements which enable local authorities and other bodies to obtain information on those seeking to work with children.