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Written question asked by Adam Price (Plaid Cymru) on Tuesday, 29 January 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 31 January 2008. It was answered by Bill Rammell (Labour) on Thursday, 27 March 2008 on behalf of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Personal Records: Databases

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which (a) companies based in the United States and (b) UK subsidiaries of US companies have been contracted by his Department and its agencies to provide services involving the use, storage, processing and analysis of databases of personal information held by the Government on UK citizens during the last five years.
Answer

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) was created by the Prime Minister on 28 June 2007.HEFCE"Contracts with IPSOS/MORI for the purpose of carrying out the National Student Survey. As part of this contract, IPSOS/MORI transfers some data to a US company called SPSS Inc."FE"The following research organisations to whom both DIUS and LSC have supplied ILR data to in the last five years and who appear to be UK subsidiaries of US companies:""ORC International: part of Opinion Research Corporation who are based in Princeton, New Jersey.""Guidance Enterprise: GE Research.""BMRB Social Research: they are part of Millward Brown, who in turn are part of Kantar Group, a company based in Connecticut.""CACI Ltd.: they are a subsidiary of CACI International Inc. who are based in the US."Student Loans Company"The Oracle Corporation in the US hold and process the HR and finance data for the Student Loans Company on the Oracle system. These systems do 'not' meet the definition of a ““database”” as advised by the Cabinet Office."The Government takes the protection of personal data extremely seriously. Data exchanges between the Student Loans Company and HMRC have all been reviewed following the Chancellor's statement on 20 November to ensure they meet the appropriate security standards. No breaches of data protection protocols have occurred in respect of student loan administration. Furthermore, the provisions catering for the sharing of information in the Sale of Student Loans Bill will strengthen the framework for legal protection of data in respect of all loans, whether sold or unsold. The Bill will extend an existing criminal sanction prohibiting the wrongful disclosure of HMRC information outside the terms of the legislative gateway.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
474 c450W;474 c448-50W; 183857
Session
2007-08
Subjects
Databases Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk