The Independent newspaper carries this:
"Mish Tullar, a spokesman for British Gas, said that the company had routinely informed social services of disconnections until 10 years ago but had been advised that this was against the law once the act came in."
What makes this sound dodgy is that 10 years ago, to my knowledge, nothing happened. The 1984 Act was in, the 1998 Act had not even been contemplated. So what stopped them? Furthermore, it also implies that British Gas is an organisation which acts routinely and without consideration of the circumstances. In other words, if they could have started with the wrong decision about what to do with people's information, then incorporate it into their procedures and do it to everyone.
Tim Turner
Data and Information Security Officer
Derbyshire County Council
Tel: 01629 580000 ext 7373
> -----Original Message-----
> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Hughes
> Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 10:32 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [data-protection] FW: [data-protection] BBC E-mail: Couple with no gas found dead
>
> I sat and watched this item being reported on my local TV news last night
> and actually heard the gas company spokesman saying that the DP Act
> "prevented" them from informing social services that this couple in their
> eighties had had their gas cut off "because they did not have the consent of
> the couple".
>
> I glance down my Schedule 2 options and see five out of six options which do
> not require consent, two of which seem to me to give a concerned utilities
> company the justification to actually do something if they are genuinely
> concerned about the well-being of an elderly couple whose supply of heating
> they have removed. Clearly had it not been for the wicked DP Act standing
> in their way the gas company would have been straight on the phone to social
> services ... I don't think.
>
> John Hughes
> Data Protection Officer
> Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust
> Croydon
> Surrey
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Carolyn Howard [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 23 December 2003 09:58
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [data-protection] BBC E-mail: Couple with no gas found dead
>
>
> Carolyn Howard saw this story on BBC News Online and thought you
> should see it.
>
>
>
> ** Couple with no gas found dead **
> A coroner calls for a change in the law after hearing how an elderly couple
> died in their home after the gas supply was cut-off.
> < http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/england/london/3342059.stm >
>
>
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