HL Deb 14 July 1997 vol 581 cc99-100WA
Lord Spens

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to introduce legislation making it possible for individuals to request sight of their files from government departments with a view to seeing that the information held by that department is correct and, if it is not correct, to require the relevant department to record the concerns of the individuals on their respective files.

Lord Williams of Mostyn

We shall bring forward this Session a Bill stengthening individuals' existing right of access under the Data Protection Act 1984 in accordance with the European Community Data Protection Directive. This will include a right of access to certain manual records. The existing right for individuals to have inaccurate data about them corrected or erased will be preserved. We shall also publish shortly a White Paper setting out proposals for new freedom of information legislation.

Lord Spens

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the rules and regulations which determine who can have sight of individual files kept by departments of state and whether there are any circumstances when the contents of such files can be made available to foreign governments, their officers or employees.

Lord Williams of Mostyn

The rules and regulations applying to access to manual records or paper files held by government departments are contained in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Files are not normally made available by government departments to foreign governments, their officers or employees.

Computerised personal records are governed by the Data Protection Act 1984.