§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Attorney-General if the provisions in the Audit Commission Bill[Lords] relating to studies into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of bodies subject to audit by the Commission permit (a) medical files containing health personal data processed by an NHS body to be used as part of a study into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness, (b) data matching 232W studies with respect to any personal data held by a local authority and (c) medical files from one NHS body to be studied (i) in conjunction with similar files from another NHS body and (ii) in relation to files from a local authority. [38171]
§ Mr. RaynsfordI have been asked to reply.
The Audit Commission Bill [Lords] consolidates the existing legislation on the Audit Commission. Auditors and the Commission have a power to obtain access to all such information including medical files, as they may reasonably require for the performance of any of their statutory functions, including studies into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of bodies subject to audit. They must comply with Data Protection legislation, and the Commission has drawn up and published a Code of Data Matching Practice, endorsed by the Data Protection Agency, which it and auditors follow when data matching techniques are used.