Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill

I thank all Members for their contributions. The hon. Member for Hexham (Mr. Atkinson) raised an important issue, which we also discussed in Committee. The BBC has had access to social security data since 2000 in order to administer the over-75 licence fee scheme and has been trusted with that information, but I remind the hon. Gentleman that essential safeguards are provided under the Data Protection Act 1998. They include the common-law duty of confidentiality and contractual arrangements between parties participating in the delivery of the switchover scheme, and are likely to contain provisions relating to the need to protect the confidentiality of social security data. The power to disclose the information is a permissive power, but before passing on information the Department for Work and Pensions would need to satisfy itself that the security and information technology procedures for handling data were appropriate. That is an important safeguard. In Committee we discussed the specifics of the way in which the Bill is likely to work in practice. Sensitive social security information is not likely to be in the hands of everyone at the BBC; its availability will be very carefully controlled and limited. There are other examples of where it will be available, but at no stage will this or any future Government be complacent about its handling, and we believe that we have safeguarded that in our discussions with the BBC.