TNAG-0693-FCO40-843-Study-of-computerisation-of-personal-data-and-threat-to-priv-1977 — Page 42

香港布政司署

MAN 1/04/38

F

13 JUN1977

Jean John,

{1-XK413/1

Ir by itten

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT,

лирконий

For

KONG.

4th June 1977

achni & draw rep

please

We are embarking on a study of the

pros and cons of integrating our 20 million "personal data" files (on 4 million-odd persons and used for housing, licensing, immigration and other purposes) with what the specialists like to call a population data-base, and this of course raises the spectre of the threat to privacy. I have read the White Paper on Computers and Privacy (Command 6353) and found it illuminating; but I wonder if you could let me know whether the Data Protection Committee mentioned in paragraph 31 of the White Paper has produced any recommendations on legislation and machinery.

I understand that another paper Command 6354 (Supplementary Report to the White Paper) includes the following comment

"

The Government have no plans to construct a central data bank which would bring together in one computer system all the personal information available in government departments

the administrative advantages to be gained from such a course are debatable, and the practical difficulties and costs would be formidable and they have no intention of allowing the computer systems under their control to be linked together to produce such a result.

**

This is just what our computer experts are studying, and I wonder whether it is possible to get an insight into the reasons for this conclusion, i.e. how 'debatable" are the administrative advantages and what are the formidable practical difficulties foreseen? The extract makes it clear that the British Government will definitely keep its computer systems apart from each other.

1576

C.S. 154

J.A.B. Stewart Esq., 0.B.E., Head of Hong Kong Department, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, King Charles Street, London, SW1A, 2AH, ENGLAND.

1197

MEXI

.

/ Finally