§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the possible time scale of the further stages of the European Commission's draft directive on data protection.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe Government believe that it will be difficult to reach a common position before early 1992 and adoption before late 1992, and that member states should be allowed the normal two years to implement the measure following the date of adoption of the directive.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he is making to the European Commission on the proposal in the data protection draft directive that any electronic file held or created by a news organisation must be communicated before possible use to each individual name on the file.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe Government is seeking to ensure that the media and other data users are not unnecessarily hampered by requirements for automatic notification to and consent by data subjects before information about them is used.