Home ponders data law change to assist Scrutiny

The change is being prepared by Home Affairs to remove some of the restrictions that may be preventing States committees from providing full and unredacted information to SMC.

If approved, the new regulations would allow for the personal data of individuals to be provided by committees to Scrutiny, on the basis that they undertake not to publish the data without the individual’s consent.

A Home Affairs spokesman said it was aware of the difficulties committees can face in having to balance their efforts to be fully open with the need for due considerations about the disclosure of personal data of individuals who have not consented to have this data made public.

However, it also recognised that Scrutiny was seeking additional powers to make it a requirement for committees to share information with them, to assist when conducting investigations.

Home Affairs president Mary Lowe said islanders would appreciate greater transparency and that it seemed the best way forward.

‘It is important the Scrutiny Management Committee can conduct their reviews in a way that provides public confidence,’ she said.

‘It is also important those areas of government under review are able to show their commitment to being open and transparent.

‘Therefore we believe there is a need to bring in these changes to the data protection law.’

The committee has considered that a change to the data protection legislation could be a valuable pre-cursor to the changes for which Scrutiny is pressing and has said it will be considering the introduction of the change at its meeting on Monday.