Written question asked by Lord Laird (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Rooker (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 June 2008.

Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 February (WA 45-6) and 13 May (WA 129) concerning the appointment of the chairman of the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum how, in the absence of a curriculum vitae for Mr Chris Sidoti, they obtained the ““personal data”” referred to; what those personal data referred to; and why they have not been published.

Answer: The Data Protection Act 1998 refers to personal data as: "““data which relate to a living individual who can be identified—(a) from those data, or (b) from those data and other information which is in the possession of, or is likely to come into the possession of, the data controller, and includes any expression of opinion about the individual and any indication of the intentions of the data controller or any other person in respect of the individual””." Personal data, in this sense, therefore refers to the shortlist of candidates that was provided to NIO Ministers. To disclose this list would identify individuals who were put to Ministers for consideration as chair of the Bill of Rights Forum.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 3759; 702 c95WA
Session: 2007-08
Related items: Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
Written questions
House of Lords; Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Written questions
House of Lords; Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights
Monday, 29 September 2008
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Public appointments Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk