R2OK!

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

It's reported that 2 CD Roms, containing details of all families in the UK where child benefit is claimed (some 25million people in total), have been lost after being inappropriately sent from one department to another in the ordinary post.

This is of course breathtaking incompetence and must be a worry for the families involved but I've a feeling that its political fallout will prove a bigger issue than any actual adverse consequences.

All credit to the Head of HM Revenue and Customs for accepting that much of the buck stopped with him and resigning. Shouldn't the Chancellor of the Exchequer be considering his position, too?

Ian.

Ian Robinson · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:48 pm Post subject:

Don't you mean the former Chancellor of Exchequer? This mess seems to have happened thanks to his mergers, cutbacks, "efficiencies" and failure to put systems in place to prevent such an event.

But as usual, he's blaming everyone else.

(although, I must say the worker who just popped these discs in the post is incredibly stupid and I suppose there's not much a boss can do about that sort of thing.)

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

Yes, I'm not sure any useful purpose, other than to keep the baying press quiet for ten minutes, will be served by the resignation of the Chancellor on this issue. I think it's fair to accept that our political leaders are entitled to assume that the civil service and agencies have in place the basic procedures to protect information - we don't elect them to supervise the office postal clerks. If this lapse is a consequence of "efficiencies" etc then they haven't been managed properly and the man ultimately responsible for that has fallen on his sword.

It doesn't do much for public confidence in the planned ID card scheme, though.
_________________
Ron

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

It's more than a scandal. The Government have really c***** up now. The Tories are really thriving on this and got them on the back burner.

It something out of Mission Impossible.. Mr Brown... Mr Darling, "Your mission, should you decide to accept it...".............The Labour Party will self destruct in 5 years.. Laughing

Cherskiy · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:17 pm Post subject:

As someone who works in a government ALO, we're constantly reminded of data protection issues - I even had to take a refresher course in it last week. No junior staff in our office would be ever asked to back up the entire records of our claimants on a few blank CDs and then post them (either in the Royal Mail or more likely, in the DX system) - IT would handle this and there'd be some sort of secure transfer in place.

If laptops with sensitive information can be left in the back of London cabs, though, then anything is possible.

As for the individual concerned, chances are he/she was in a fairly junior post, had been given a task to do without adequate instruction or supervision, and had probably done something that they really should have sought further advice about - although if it's anything like our place, the relevant manager(s) were probably overseeing some other 'important' project somewhere else in the department and couldn't be reached/disturbed.... Rolling Eyes

_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

I note that tiny little snippets of info re the identity of the hapless junior involved here are slowly trickling out to the press.

How long before a name is published?

Ian.

Rachel · Guest

I really don't see the problem with sending the disks in the post. It's no more secure to use a more expensive service. As soon as you involve a third party oraganisation, you rely on them to provide the service they offer. Fisrt class post is as good as anything else out there at the moment. Things can ( and do) go wrong with every delivery method. It's up to the owner/ organisation responsible for the data on the disks to ensure that the disks can only be read by the intended end user. Proper encryption of data would mean that losing the disks is no more a disaster than losing a couple of blank disks.

Ian Robinson · Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:19 pm Post subject:

Rachel, with such important info I'd expect the delivery to be trackable no matter how it's sent. Sending it secure or registered would at least leave a trail to follow. As it is, it was probably put on a pile with a load of other anonymous envelopes and no-one has any idea where it went from there.

I get registered/special deliveries all the time and they're only basic artwork discs.

Rachel · Guest

I disagree Ian.

All of the special/ recorded/registered services ... only tell you the last place the package was if it doesn't turn up where it should. In the case of the two disks .. we know that already, they were put in the post.

The data should have been encrypted.... it doesn't matter what delivery service they use... they could have had an armed gaurd march the disks to their destination but even that is subject to human error.

As for the data, it's not a huge concern really... you can buy everybodys ( on the electoral role anyway) name and addresss on line for just a few hundred pounds ... and the bank details are no different to those on a cheque. I'm sure the criminals aren't going to pay money into peoples' accounts for them.... ... Identity fraud! Ha ... Tescos know more about you than any Goverment organisation does. The criminals don't need or want the disks. The information is already out there.

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

I thought his name was already known? The 10'O Clock BBC News on Tuesday was outside his house!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Missed the 10pm News on Tuesday.

Don't think all the press have picked up the name yet. Give them time!

Ian.

Cherskiy · Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:46 pm Post subject:

Apparently Alistair Darling is Kirsty Young's next guest on "Desert Island Discs" - but the programme is to be cut short as he's lost four of his eight records.... Laughing

_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

Cherskiy · Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:17 pm Post subject:

I read that letters are to be sent to all 25M people affected by this incident.

Say 30p per letter, and that's another £7.5M of public money wasted.

£7.5M would have bought some more much-needed kit for our beleaguered troops out in Iraq and the 'Stan, or helped to clean some hospital wards properly, or.... Sad

_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

SantaFefan · Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:25 pm Post subject:

I wonder who'll face the flack on Question Time tonight? Confused

_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Briant · Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 10:46 pm Post subject:

Re Darling and DID! Very funny, Cherskiy! Laughing

SantaFefan · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject:

Err, can I have 25 million first class stamps please?
_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

SantaFefan · Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 9:06 am Post subject:

With all this talk of heads resigning, why hasn't the head of TNT resigned?
His company lost the envelope in the first place.
_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

Number Six · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 439 Location: In the village

Ian Robinson · Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 5:08 pm Post subject:

Cherskiy · Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 5:52 pm Post subject:

Sandi was referring to England v Croatia and Steve McLaren's sacking.
_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

Barkingbiker · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 2313 Location: Lincolnshire

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

Sounds as though a big fat jewel box has been opened and found to contain worms, rather than CDs.

I'm sure they'll find another relatively minor sacrificial lamb to carry the can. Wink

_________________
Ron

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

LOL at a cartoon in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph, which showed Santa Claus in conversation with a rather worried elf, who's saying "we've lost the disc containing every child's name and address."

Ian.

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

Another thought--could they write to SOTS and ask Phil the Collector Swern to hunt the CDs up as part of Playing Hard to Get?

Ian.