§ Mr. Bill MichieTo 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. NelsonThe 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.