HC Deb 17 October 1994 vol 248 cc123-4W
Mr. Miller

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 15 July,Official Report, columns 812-13, what measures she will introduce to ensure that central Government Departments and agencies cannot access data which are not normally provided to them by the OPCS under the present arrangements; and if she will make it her policy that access to the OPCS mainframe will not be extended in the future to include those users currently allowed restricted access.

Mr. Sackville

The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys operates under strict codes of confidentiality, details of which are given in its public "Statement of Policies on Confidentiality and Security of Personal Data", a copy of which is available in the Library. These policies will not change.

The security mechanisms employed to implement these policies will prevent users from accessing data which they are not authorised to access.

Mr. Miller

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 15 July,Official Report, columns 812-13, what specific measures are being implemented in order to prevent unauthorised access to personal information held on OPCS computers by (a) Government Departments and agencies, (b) authorised users without access to the OPCS mainframe and (c) unauthorised users.

Mr. Sackville

As stated in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' "Statement of Policies on Confidentiality and Security of Personal Data", a copy of which is available in the Library, OPCS will not publish details of information technology systems and security measures as this might compromise the confidentiality or security of personal data held by the office.

Independent advice has been sought from security consultants. Security measures are being enhanced following changes in the access arrangements. I am satisfied that this will provide the necessary safeguards against unauthorised access.

Mr. Miller

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 15 July,Official Report, columns 812-13, what steps she will take to ensure that private companies are not granted access to personal information currently held on OPCS computers; and what estimates have been made of the potential effects of these proposals on the integrity of data collected from individual households.

Mr. Sackville

Authorised private companies, requesting access will be granted access to only aggregated data. The security mechanisms being employed will prevent access to other data.

The new proposals will have no effect on the integrity of data collected from individual households.

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