HM TREASURY News
Release (133/07) issued by The Government News Network on 23
November 2007
The Treasury has
published terms of reference for the Poynter Review, which will
investigate security processes and procedures for data handling in
Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs.
Terms of reference
To establish the circumstances that led to the significant loss
of confidential personal data on Child Benefit recipients and
other recent losses of confidential data and the lessons to be
learnt, and in the light of those circumstances to examine:
* HMRC practices and procedures in the handling and transfer of
confidential data on taxpayers and benefit/credit recipients;
* the processes for ensuring that these procedures are
communicated to staff and the safeguards in place to ensure they
are adhered to;
* the reasons why these failed to prevent the loss of
confidential data;
* whether these procedures and processes are sufficient to ensure
the confidentiality of personal data.
The review will report initially by 14 December on the exact
circumstances and events that led to the loss of the Child Benefit
data, taking account of the ongoing investigation by the
Metropolitan Police. It will make interim recommendations on any
further, urgent measures that HMRC should put in place to
guarantee the confidentiality of personal data.
The review will also consider wider implications, reporting in
the Spring and, in consultation with the Independent Police
Complaints Commission (IPCC) and Information Commissioner, make
recommendations on:
* how internal processes and culture can be strengthened to
achieve appropriate data security in the future;
* whether HMRC's wider procedures for the handling of
confidential data and liaison with other organisations should be
changed to reduce the risks and how this might be done.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Alistair Darling
MP, announced the review in a statement to the House of Commons on
20 November.
2. Kieran Poynter is Chairman and Senior Partner of
PricewaterhouseCoopers and will report to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer. The review is being carried out with the knowledge and
cooperation of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)
and the Information Commissioner.
3. Non-media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury
Correspondence and Enquiry Unit on 020 7270 4558, or by e-mail to public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk
4. This press release and other Treasury publications and
information are available on the Treasury website at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk.
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