§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's arrangements for consulting the Data Protection Registrar during the planning stage of any initiative involving the collection, use or disclosure of personal data; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardMy Department observes the provisions of the Data Protection Act. Consultations with the Data Protection Registrar have taken place where necessary, and I am satisfied that arrangements are effective.