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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Ministers under fire over records | Ministers under fire over records |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The government's "basic competence" has been questioned by the Tories after the loss in the post of computer discs with 25m people's personal details on them. | The government's "basic competence" has been questioned by the Tories after the loss in the post of computer discs with 25m people's personal details on them. |
| The child benefit data on them includes names, ages, bank and address details. | The child benefit data on them includes names, ages, bank and address details. |
| Tory George Osborne said ministers had failed in their duty to protect people, and questioned whether Alistair Darling "is up to the job" of chancellor. | Tory George Osborne said ministers had failed in their duty to protect people, and questioned whether Alistair Darling "is up to the job" of chancellor. |
| Mr Darling said he "deeply regretted" what had happened, but stressed there was no evidence of misuse of the data. | Mr Darling said he "deeply regretted" what had happened, but stressed there was no evidence of misuse of the data. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Darling said his confidence had been "shaken" by what he described as a "catastrophic" incident. | |
| ''There's no doubt in my mind there have been very, very serious breaches here. | |
| "People are entitled to trust the government to look after information that is given to it - for child benefit or any other purposes - and that did not happen here,'' said the chancellor. | |
| 'Unwelcome' | |
| He said the information, which was on two CDs, should "should never, ever have left the building in which it was stored". | |
| I am not going to start running away from things when things get difficult Alistair Darling Papers mull records loss | |
| He denied the problem was related to the merger of the Revenue and Customs departments and staff cuts, as claimed by staff members in e-mails to the BBC. | |
| He also hit back at claims his own position as chancellor was in doubt amid continuing difficulties with Northern Rock, which has seen its share price plunge a further 15%. | |
| "I am not going to start running away from things when things get difficult," he told Today. | |
| Referring to the data loss crisis, he said: "It is difficult, unwelcome in every respect, but I am determined to see it through". | |
| 'Unusual activity' | |
| Earlier, Mr Darling said banks were monitoring all 7.25 million bank accounts whose details were on the discs, which contained the personal details of all child benefit recipients in the UK. | |
| People are being urged by both the chancellor and banks to keep a close eye on their accounts "for unusual activity". | People are being urged by both the chancellor and banks to keep a close eye on their accounts "for unusual activity". |
| MISSING DATA INCLUDES... National insurance numberName, address and birth datePartner's detailsNames, sex and age of childrenBank/savings account details Analysis: Political damage | |
| Mr Darling said that anyone who lost money as a result of any misuse of the data would be covered for losses under the banking code. | Mr Darling said that anyone who lost money as a result of any misuse of the data would be covered for losses under the banking code. |
| On Tuesday the chancellor told MPs how the entire child benefit database was sent by a junior official from HMRC in Washington, Tyne and Wear, to the audit office in London through courier TNT on 18 October. The information was contained on two CDs. | |
| The chancellor said the official had broken the rules by downloading the data to disc and sending it by unrecorded delivery. | The chancellor said the official had broken the rules by downloading the data to disc and sending it by unrecorded delivery. |
| But he reassured those affected that police had no reason to believe the discs had found their way into the wrong hands, nor did they have any evidence of it being used for "fraudulent purposes or criminal activity." | But he reassured those affected that police had no reason to believe the discs had found their way into the wrong hands, nor did they have any evidence of it being used for "fraudulent purposes or criminal activity." |
| Bosses at the Revenue were not told about what had happened until 8 November and Mr Darling and Prime Minister Gordon Brown learned about the situation on 10 November. | Bosses at the Revenue were not told about what had happened until 8 November and Mr Darling and Prime Minister Gordon Brown learned about the situation on 10 November. |
| The chancellor said he had delayed an emergency statement to the Commons because banks and building societies had asked for time to prepare and make sure security procedures were in place. | The chancellor said he had delayed an emergency statement to the Commons because banks and building societies had asked for time to prepare and make sure security procedures were in place. |
| Banking code | Banking code |
| The officials involved waited before informing their superiors in the hope that the discs would be found. | The officials involved waited before informing their superiors in the hope that the discs would be found. |
| The Metropolitan Police is leading the hunt for the discs, and the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which oversees the HMRC, is investigating the security breach. | The Metropolitan Police is leading the hunt for the discs, and the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which oversees the HMRC, is investigating the security breach. |
| CHILD BENEFIT Available to the parents, normally mother, of every child in UK under 16Older children in full-time education still eligibleTaken up by almost 100%It amounts to £18.10 a week for a first-born childFor subsequent children - it amounts to £12.10 a week Timeline: Benefit records loss | CHILD BENEFIT Available to the parents, normally mother, of every child in UK under 16Older children in full-time education still eligibleTaken up by almost 100%It amounts to £18.10 a week for a first-born childFor subsequent children - it amounts to £12.10 a week Timeline: Benefit records loss |
| A TNT spokesman said that because the discs had not been sent as recorded it was not possible to verify if they had ever been posted. He added that the company would not be responsible for any losses incurred. | A TNT spokesman said that because the discs had not been sent as recorded it was not possible to verify if they had ever been posted. He added that the company would not be responsible for any losses incurred. |
| Mr Osborne, the shadow chancellor, said that "people are asking" whether Mr Darling was up to the job. | |
| He told BBC Breakfast that the first duty of any government was to protect citizens, and it had failed to do so. | He told BBC Breakfast that the first duty of any government was to protect citizens, and it had failed to do so. |
| Mr Darling's job "is clearly on the line", Mr Osborne said, adding that he had a matter of "days or weeks to prove" he was up to the job. | Mr Darling's job "is clearly on the line", Mr Osborne said, adding that he had a matter of "days or weeks to prove" he was up to the job. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY What a complete shambles.... and I fear things will only get worse once the loathsome ID cards are introduced Anthony H, London Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY What a complete shambles.... and I fear things will only get worse once the loathsome ID cards are introduced Anthony H, London Send us your comments |
| Liberal Democrat Acting Leader Vince Cable asked: "Where does the buck stop in this government?" | Liberal Democrat Acting Leader Vince Cable asked: "Where does the buck stop in this government?" |
| Professor Ross Anderson of Cambridge University's computer laboratory thinks the government's strategy of centralising information is too risky. | Professor Ross Anderson of Cambridge University's computer laboratory thinks the government's strategy of centralising information is too risky. |
| He said: "This was an accident waiting to happen and if it hadn't happened in this particular case it would have happened elsewhere." | He said: "This was an accident waiting to happen and if it hadn't happened in this particular case it would have happened elsewhere." |