§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
What implications, if any, the announcement by the Data Protection Commissioner that she will, from March 2001, actively seek out breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998 will have on the provisions of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, in particular the Lawful Business Practice regulations [HL144]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleI understand from the Data Protection Commissioner that she has not made any such announcement and that she does not currently have any plans to change her approach to enforcement of the Data Protection Act 1998. She has confirmed that when her Code of Practice on the Use of Personal Data in Employer/Employee Relationships is published, which she expects to be in Spring 2001, she will provide comprehensive guidance on the implications of both the Data Protection Act and the Lawful Business Practice Regulations for practice in the workplace.