Irish News: Probe after more than 6,000 drivers' details go missing

An inquiry is under way after vehicle licensing staff admitted responsibility for the disappearance of personal details of more than 6,000 Northern Ireland drivers.

A total of 7,685 vehicle-keepers' addresses, names and car particulars were lost at a Parcelforce sorting centre in Coventry after the Driver and Vehicle Agency in Coleraine, Co Derry, posted two unencrypted discs to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing offices in Swansea, Wales.

They were sent in response to requests from a number of vehicle manufacturers who wished to contact drivers about faults or potential faults in certain models.

As environment minister Arlene Foster confirmed a full-scale police investigation was under way, management in Coleraine admitted the blunder.

Brendan Magee, chief executive of the DVA in Northern Ireland, said: "We have to hold our hands up. It should have been encrypted.

"A number of reviews are under way. Our own internal review is under way in relation to the HMRC that has been identified.

"Unfortunately it was a week too late."

Officials realised last week that the data, sent on November 20 and 21, had gone missing.

Representatives from Information Commissioner Richard Thomas's office have been informed.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "It is shocking that the public have been let down yet again by a government agency failing to protect personal information.

"This goes beyond just HMRC and the DVLA - there are clearly severe systemic failings across the public sector. Inexperienced and ineffective management has led to lax security and poor organisational discipline becoming rife.

"It is very worrying that the agencies charged with providing essential services and protecting people's most sensitive data are clearly incapable of doing their jobs properly."

It was also disclosed yesterday that confidential personal details of dozens of prisoners intended for Norfolk Police were wrongly delivered to a private company instead.

Finally, trade unions on Merseyside revealed that personal details of 1,800 health authority staff had been accidentally sent out to private firms.

The latest security breaches follow the loss by HM Revenue and Customs of two computer discs containing the entire child benefit database with details of 25 million people.

Earlier this month it emerged that the DVLA in Wales broke data protection rules when confidential documents were sent to the wrong motorists, it has been claimed. The agency sent 1,215 questionnaires, including dates of birth and motoring offence records, and about 100 went to the wrong addresses.

Ms Foster told the Assembly she was not optimistic the latest lost information would be found.

"It is ironic that an internal review initiated by the department after child benefit discs were lost in Great Britain, identified the method of sending discs as a systematic weakness a week after the discs had been sent," she said.

"There are no financial details included in the data that has been mislaid.

"In relation to whether we will be using this system again, I would severely doubt it. We will be using the internet system that has already been talked about and indeed other secure methods of taking data across."

Stormont's SDLP environment committee chairman Patsy McGlone said: "There are major issues in there, not least the need to allay people's concerns about where their details are.

"I hope that it is retrieved, but given the track record so far it isn't looking too likely."

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said: "It beggars belief that Labour is still losing CDs with thousands of people's personal data in the post.

"It looks like it has failed to learn anything from the HMRC catastrophe."

DVA Q&A

What was lost?

Two computer discs containing names, addresses registration numbers, chassis number, make and colour of 7,685 Northern Ireland drivers. There was no personal financial data.

How can you find out if your details were on the discs?

DVA says it has written to every motorist involved.

What can you do if you are on the list?

You can get more information from a special helpline on 028 7034 1357 or 028 7034 1428.

Every vehicle record has been marked to alert staff if fraudsters attempt to misuse the data.