Category: government departments

The Big Question: Should cabinet minutes be released, and what difference would it make? – The Independent

Posted February 28th, 2008 in disclosure, freedom of information, government departments, Iraq, special report, war by sally

“Why are we asking this now?

Because the Government has been ordered to release the minutes of two key cabinet meetings held in the run up to the Iraq invasion in 2003. The Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, has ordered the Government to hand over the minutes after it initially turned down a request for them made under the Freedom of Information Act.”

Full story

The Independent, 28th February 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Regina (Bradley and Others) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Others – Times Law Reports

Posted February 25th, 2008 in government departments, law reports, maladministration, pensions by sally

Regina (Bradley and Others) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Others

Court of Appeal

“Where the Parliament Commissioner for Administration had found maladministration in a ministerial department, the minister was not entitled to reject that finding without good reason.”

The Times, 25th February 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

R (Bradley and others) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and others – WLR Daily

Posted February 11th, 2008 in government departments, law reports, maladministration, pensions by sally

R (Bradley and others) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and others; [2008] WLR (D) 38

“Where the Parliamentary Commissioner had found maladministration in a ministerial department, the Secretary of State, although not bound by the Commissioner’s decision, was not entitled to reject the Commissioner’s finding on the basis that he preferred another view which could not be categorised as irrational.”

WLR Daily, 8th February 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Podcast 40: Carl Gardner on Peter Hain, Terrorism, The EU Amendment Bill and the problems about the rule of law in Pakistan… – Charon QC

Posted January 28th, 2008 in EC law, elections, government departments, podcasts, terrorism by sally

“Today I am talking to Carl Gardner, author of the Head of Legal blog. Carl was a government lawyer for ten years specialising in Constitutional and EU Law issues. Now freelance, Carl has some useful views today about the Peter Hain resignation, the Police investigation, possible charges, the new Counter Terrorism proposals being debated in Parliament and he is keeping a watching brief on the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – the EU Treaty debate in The House of Commons.”

Podcast

Source: www.charonqc.wordpress.com

“Charon QC” is the blogging pseudonym of Mike Semple Piggot, editor of Consilio.tv

Related link: Head of Legal blog

Court case data CDs lost in post – BBC News

Posted January 23rd, 2008 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“Four CDs containing personal details from court cases have gone missing in the post, the government has admitted.”

Full story

BBC News, 23rd January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MoD admits inquiry into 69 lost laptops – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2008 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“The Ministry of Defence is investigating the reported loss of 69 laptops and seven personal computers over the past year, officials revealed yesterday, as Whitehall staff were banned from removing laptops containing sensitive data from their offices.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MoD to be quizzed over lost data – BBC News

Posted January 21st, 2008 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“The information watchdog is to grill the Ministry of Defence over its data protection policies after it lost the personal details of 600,000 people.”

Full story

BBC News, 19th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Not fit for purpose: £2bn cost of government’s IT blunders – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2008 in government departments, news by sally

“The cost to the taxpayer of abandoned Whitehall computer projects since 2000 has reached almost £2bn – not including the bill for an online crime reporting site that was cancelled this week, a survey by the Guardian reveals.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Whitehall should be prosecuted over data loss, say MPs in call for new law – The Times

Posted January 3rd, 2008 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“MPs are calling for new offences to allow Whitehall departments to be prosecuted for data security blunders such as the loss of child benefit records for 25 million people.”

Full story

The Times, 3rd January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Cybercrime agency faces cuts as computer raid threats grow – The Times

Posted December 4th, 2007 in computer crime, government departments, news by sally

“Staff cuts at the government agency that tackles cybercrime will leave British businesses vulnerable to attack from criminals and industrial espionage, experts say.”

Full story

The Times, 4th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Careless data loss “should be an offence” – The Times

Posted November 26th, 2007 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“The top security chief in Whitehall is to carry out a comprehensive review of data protection across the Government within a matter of weeks after the child benefit records scandal.”

Full story

The Times, 24th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Who can you sue if lost data is misused? – The Times

Posted November 22nd, 2007 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“Anyone who loses out financially as a result of mistakes at HM Revenue and Customs is likely to be compensated by their bank – but if they have the appetite they could also sue the Revenue.”

Full story

The Times, 21st November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Data watchdog seeks dawn-raid powers – The Times

Posted November 22nd, 2007 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which polices the security of the nation’s data, is to be given the power to raid Government departments suspected of breaching protection laws.”

Full story

The Times, 21st November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

New data protection law ‘urgently needed’ – The Times

Posted November 21st, 2007 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“Security experts called for an urgent review of the law following the loss of the personal information of 25 million Britons by HM Revenue & Customs.”

Full story 

The Times, 21st November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk 

25 million exposed to risk of ID fraud – The Times

Posted November 21st, 2007 in data protection, government departments, news by sally

“The sensitive personal details of 25 million Britons could have fallen into the hands of identity fraudsters after a government agency lost the entire child benefit database in the post.”

Full story

The Times, 21st November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk 

Foreign Office web security failed Data Protection Act, says ICO – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 13th, 2007 in data protection, government departments, internet, news by sally

“The Foreign Office has promised to keep data safer in future, after its website exposed the details of those seeking visas for entry into the UK. An investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) found a breach of the Data Protection Act.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 13th November 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

DCA splashes 47% more cash on consultants – Legal Week

Posted June 1st, 2007 in government departments, news by sally

“Government spending on external consultants has rocketed again this year, it has emerged, with the now-defunct Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) shelling out for £15.6m on external services during 2005-06.”

Full story

Legal Week, 1st June 2007

Source: www.legalweek.com

The new Home Office: Protecting the public, securing our future – Home Office

Posted May 9th, 2007 in government departments, news by sally

“The division of the Home Office culminates an extraordinary programme of reform and change initiated by Home Secretary John Reid shortly after he took over running the department last year.”

Full story

Home Office, 9th May 2007

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Justice ministry faces jails crisis as Home Office splits in two – The Guardian

Posted May 9th, 2007 in government departments, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons by sally

“Britain’s first Ministry of Justice emerges today out of the rubble of the “not fit for purpose” Home Office to face a mounting prison crisis with prisoner numbers in England and Wales hitting a new record.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th May 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Restructured Home Office splits – BBC News

Posted May 9th, 2007 in government departments, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“A restructured Home Office is to begin operating, with the Ministry of Justice taking control of prisons, probation and sentencing.” 

Full story

BBC News, 8th May 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk