Top adviser calls for data protection overhaul

Peter Sommer, a research fellow at the London School of Economics and an adviser to the House of Commons' select committee on trade and industry, said the data protection legislation has been too weak in the area of enforcement up until now.

He said: "Traditionally the data protection legislation has been a fig leaf. It's been there to provide notional protection against people who keep large databases of personal information."

Sommer's comments come only a week after the DPC said it will not take enforcement action against Powergen for a security breach in July that left 2,500 customer debit card details exposed on the company's website.

He added his support to the growing numbers of people calling for a government review of the DPC's power, saying: "The Data Protection Commissioner historically has no real means of carrying out enforcement. Elizabeth France is a lively, independent person. She's also being asked to carry out the UK equivalent of the Freedom of Information legislation, and I'm personally concerned that she's not going to be able to rise to the challenge."

The Commons Select Committee on Trade and Industry will consider a review of the DPC when it reconvenes this month. Committee chairman Martin O'Neill, MP, has also vowed to take up the matter with the Office of the e-envoy.

SILCON SAYS: Increasingly consumers are aware of data protection issues and are wary of providing personal data to online service providers. When consumers see the DPC taking no action when companies breach the Data Protection Act, they will not be inclined to provide that data. That's why we need to Back the Act. For more information or to join our campaign, email backtheact@silicon.com