Clause 17 - Information about employees to be ballotedon industrial action
Employment Relations Bill
9:30 am
Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon, Conservative)
Having heard the Minister describe the situation on the ground, I have more concerns than I did before he spoke. The concept of holding information is becoming increasingly important. The Data Protection Act 1998 provides that people must register the fact that they hold information. However, the Minister said that people might be able to lose information in the back office because they were part-timers or voluntary workers. That is not acceptable. Nor does it reflect data protection law. Following the Minister's remarks, I have serious concerns that the clause could be used to shuffle aside information that should be seen but which the unions do not want to be seen. Has the Minister checked whether the clause adequately reflects data protection law?