Was data protection responsible for the deletion of police records?
Myths, misconceptions and misinformation rose to a crescendo when data protection was initially, and wrongly, blamed for the destruction of police records about previous contacts with Ian Huntley. It became clear during the subsequent Inquiry that deletion or loss of these records had nothing whatever to do with data protection law or any advice from my Offices. In his recent Report, Sir Michael Bichard explicitly rejected the suggestion that the legislation was the reason for the lack of searchable records. I entirely welcome the findings of the Inquiry; they will go a long way to restore public confidence in data protection. At the same time, I remain committed to a constructive relationship with the police and will contribute to a new Code of Practice in line with the Inquiry’s recommendations.
