§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis AT and T Istel has been chosen to operate the NHS-wide network; on what basis its employees or managers will have access to personal data; and if he will make a statement [24628]
§ Mr. HoramAT and T Istel was chosen to operate the NHS-wide clearing service—not the network—by competitive tender under the private finance initiative. Its managers and employees are contractually bound to main the confidentiality of data passing through the clearing service, and will have no access to it.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about proposed security arrangements for the NHS-wide network to avoid unauthorised access and the misuse of data from the network. [24635]
§ Mr. HoramThe arrangements to avoid unauthorised access to the NHS-wide network and prevent misuse of data are set out in the data networking security policy and codes of connection. These require any person or organisation seeking access to the network to sign a contractual undertaking to abide by proper security procedures, and to limit access to authorised users with acceptable national health service purposes. The documents were published with NHS executive letter (95) 108, copies of which are available in the Library.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what links are proposed between the NHS-wide network and information technology elsewhere within Government; and if he will make a statement. [24630]
§ Mr. HoramThe NHS-wide network is separate from the Department of Health's network and from all other central Government networks. Access from anywhere outside the NHS, including from Government Departments, will be subject to the requirements of the480W security policy. Access is allowed only to those who use the network for approved NHS purposes.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will now place in the Library the findings of the study by Zergo Consulting for the NHS information management group about the NHS-wide network; and if he will make a statement on his response. [24634]
§ Mr. HoramThe report on the study by Zergo Consulting entitled "The Use of Encryption and Related Services with the NHS net" was published on 11 April 1996. Copies are available in the Library.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions are proposed to the selling off of data from the NHS-wide network; and if he will make a statement. [24629]
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he consulted the Data Protection Registrar about arrangements for the NHS-wide network; and if he will make a statement. [24636]
§ Mr. HoramThe Data Protection Registrar has been consulted at all stages in the development of plans for the NHS-wide network and during its implementation.