GreenInk 6 – Whitehall’s idea of efficiency and reform seems to be to hand over our personal data to third parties in overseas jurisdictions where it will be impossible for Whitehall to keep control of it

The following letter was kindly published by the Guardian today under the heading Security policies under a cloud:

From: David Moss Sent: 05 April 2012 12:50 To: 'letters@guardian.co.uk' Subject: Rajeev Syal, 3 April 2012, 'Lib Dem MPs issue warning over web surveillance proposals' http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/03/web-surveillance-legislation-dangers-letter Sir Whitehall’s strange attitude to the confidentiality of our personal data is revealed not only by its recent attempt to resurrect the snoopers’ web-surveillance charter but also by two other initiatives, IdA and G-Cloud. IdA, Whitehall's identity assurance initiative, is part of their plan to make all public services accessible over the web and only over the web. When you submit your tax return, for example, under IdA you will require an electronic ID issued and managed by the likes of Google and Facebook. G-Cloud is Whitehall's Government Cloud plan to put all government data on the web, where it will be stored on computers operated by Google and other cloud computing service providers like Amazon. These initiatives are being promoted in the name of efficiency and reform and are the responsibility of Rt Hon Francis Maude MP, the Cabinet Office Minister. Whitehall’s idea of efficiency and reform seems to be to hand over our personal data to third parties in overseas jurisdictions where it will be impossible for Whitehall to keep control of it. Will Mr Maude ask us if we all agree to this plan? Yours David Moss