§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how his proposals in relation to access to personal information as described in the White Paper on 759W open government differ from those proposed in the data protection directive—COM. (92) 422; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe White Paper on open government proposes a clear and effective free-standing right for people to have access to personal information held about them by a wide range of public authorities. It complements the right of access to computerised data provided by the Data Protection Act 1984. The subject of access provisions in the draft directive on data protection are only one part of an elaborate structure for the control of personal data, whether held on computer or otherwise, in all sectors.