South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Maskey blasts British Government's incompetence

Published: 21 November, 2007

South Belfast MLA Alex Maskey has blasted the British government's incompetence over the loss of 25 million child benefit recipients personal details.

Mr Maskey said:

"This British government has displayed a total disregard for the safeguarding of personal information held by it on individuals. Why was this extremely sensitive information contained on these disks transferred in this manner? Why was it not transported by way of direct secure courier?

"This is a government that is proposing bringing in personal identity cards with the minutest of personal detail and assuring citizens that the information contained in its proposed data bank will be secure. The same government that can not even deliver child benefit recipients information from one department to another without losing it."