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Lost discs 'entirely avoidable' Discs loss 'entirely avoidable'
(8 minutes later)
The loss of two discs containing the personal details 25 million people was "entirely avoidable," a report says. The loss of discs containing personal details of 25 million people was "entirely avoidable", a report says.
The Poynter report does not blame individual officials but points to serious structural failings at HM Revenue and Customs offices. The Poynter report does not blame individual officials, but points to serious structural failings at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offices.
Chancellor Alistair Darling told MPs action was already being taken to improve data security.Chancellor Alistair Darling told MPs action was already being taken to improve data security.
A separate report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission will be published later. A separate report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission said HMRC security was "woefully inadequate".
Mr Darling said the public was entitled to expect government departments would protect their personal details, but added that there was "no evidence of any fraudulent activity" as a result of the child benefit breach.
He said he agreed with Kieran Poynter, the man he appointed to investigate last October's breach, that there were "serious failings" in the way HMRC had been operating.
The report does not blame the merger of Customs and Inland Revenue, he told MPs, but found the "complex system of management installed after the merger was not suitable".
The report highlights poor communication between senior managers and junior staff at the HMRC offices in Tyne and Wear, low staff morale and inadequate training.
A seperate report by the IPPC, found there was "a complete lack of any meaningful systems" and a "muddle-through" ethos at the HMRC offices.
Few members of the HMRC staff appreciated the highly sensitive nature of the information contained on the two discs - and those that voiced concern were ignored, the report said.
If an internal review being carried out at the time the discs were lost, in October last year, had been given higher priority the incident might have been avoided, it added.