UK's data watchdog probes use of private email to discuss government business at the Department of Health
- Reference: 1625660109
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/07/07/ico_dhsc_private_email/
- Source link:
The investigation comes amid mounting [1]allegations that senior officials within the department – including former health secretary Matt Hancock who resigned recently over his inability to follow lockdown rules – used private emails to discuss sensitive government business.
If the law has been broken, it could lead to a criminal prosecution, the ICO said.
[2]
While the use of private emails by government departments is not illegal, the ICO is concerned about issues of transparency and accountability if rules aren't followed fully.
[3]
[4]
[5]Writing in a blog , the Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, said that transparency is fundamental to democracy.
"That is why the suggestion of ministers and senior officials using private correspondence channels, such as private email accounts, to conduct sensitive official business is a concerning one," said Denham.
[6]PPE, Part II: UK health department takes second stab at e-commerce system for personal protective equipment
[7]NHS England staff voice concerns about access controls on US spy-tech firm Palantir's COVID-19 data store
[8]Just a friendly reminder there were no at-the-time classified secrets on Clinton's email server. Yes, the one everyone lost their minds over
[9]UK Department of Health's joint venture with Sopra Steria names 19 vendors to epic £1bn hardware framework
[10]MPs slam UK's £22bn Test and Trace programme for failing to provide evidence that it slows COVID pandemic
"It concerns the public to feel there may be a loss of transparency about decisions affecting them and their loved ones. And as the regulator of data protection and freedom of information laws, it concerns me."
She went on: "That is why my office has launched a formal investigation into the use of private correspondence channels at the Department for Health and Social Care and has served information notices on the department and others to preserve evidence relevant to my inquiry."
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Deputy Labour leader Angela Raynor has been quick to point the finger at the government and called for full disclosure.
In a series of tweets, she said: "Nothing could be more serious than government ministers facing investigation for potentially breaking the law.
"The government must cooperate fully, turning over all correspondence, emails and documents. What is important now is getting to the bottom of how far this shady practice extends across the government and ensuring that the COVID public inquiry has access to all evidence."
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A spokesperson for the DHSC told The Register : "DHSC has been engaging with the Information Commissioner's Office and the Department will cooperate with any investigation. All ministers are aware of the guidance around personal email usage and government business is conducted in line with this guidance." ®
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[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-57642791
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YOXPoFzHEOu-ErunMzxyxgAAAEI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
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[5] https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/news-and-events/news-and-blogs/2021/07/ico-launches-investigation-into-the-use-of-private-correspondence-channels/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/05/ppe_contract_uk_health_dept/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/05/palantir_covid_data_store/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2019/10/22/clinton_email_report/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/25/dhsc_1bn_hardware_framework_winners/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/10/pac_test_and_trace/
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YOXPoFzHEOu-ErunMzxyxgAAAEI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YOXPoFzHEOu-ErunMzxyxgAAAEI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: open goal I should imagine
I don't think hancock was that clever. I'm guessing it was mathancock1@aol.com
Re: open goal I should imagine
That email address breaks the Scunthrope rule and can't be used on AOL
"Lock Them Up! Lock Them Up ...!"
That's how it goes right?
Let me give you a preview of the conclusion:
"The minister has been found to be in technical breach of the ministerial code, but the prime minister has accepted their apology and considers the matter closed."
That would certainly be consistent with the British Airways line in https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/06/british_airways_lawsuit_settled/ where they settled for over £30million without admitting liability.
In fact government ministers and others have often been found to have acted unlawfully and not faced any penalties.
Even incompetence doesn't seem to matter. Dido Harding (far too many articles on 'Test and Trace' to provide references) had the support of the PM and is considering applying for the top job at the NHS. Paula Vennells of the Post Office 'Project Horizon' catastrophe doesn't seem to have been held to account for all those innocent people prosecuted for false accounting, fraud etc. So I doubt that Matt Hancock has much to worry about from the ICO.
I do hope that the ICO does prosecute if there is evidence, but, lets face it, when the man who would have allowed the directors of Matrix Churchill to go to prison for selling arms to Iraq when they had been asked to by the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6 in "James Bond' parlance) can be made a life peer and provost of Eton College, it seems unlikely there will be any serious consequences. (William Waldegrave, if you didn't know. He and his colleagues decided to 're-interpret' the rules banning export of arms to Saddam Hussein's Iraq to allow sale ofarms to Iraq, and not tell parliament as 'the rules had not changed, only the interpretation'.)
Never mind Email
At least that is potentially auditable. But what about "Crony Government by WhatsApp"
Nothing more serious?
' In a series of tweets, she said: "Nothing could be more serious than government ministers facing investigation for potentially breaking the law. '
We have a prime minister who, according to Private Eye (1550, 8/07/21) is apparently on record (c. 1990) agreeing to facilitate an assault on a journalist who had (supposedly) annoyed a businessman friend.
While she's at it
Elizabeth Denham may want to have a look at all ministries and public bodies who currently seem to have a penchant for flinging contracts at companies without following selection rules.
Though she may need a larger staff.
Re: While she's at it
I suspect that may be outside the remit of the ICO, sadly.
Re: While she's at it
What's the difference?
It is only a case of ensuring that all official business is conducted on secure government channels and not via private email, whatsapp or other media.
If it applies to the health ministry it applies to all the others.
Re: While she's at it
I wouldn't expect much from any leader at the ICO. There will be one eye on where next to job hop to.
Buttery males!
When your entire government resigns in disgrace, the US has one slightly-used ex-President** to offer you as a replacement.
Re: Buttery males!
The ex-president would be far better than Slow Joe and Heels Up combined.
Best Option
Given HMG's record on IT projects I'd say gmail was the most secure method of communication....
Either that or tying a scrap of paper to a brick and chucking it through the ministries window,,,,
open goal I should imagine
Bet there is an email address dhsccontracts@gmail.com