Jail staff 'put at risk by data loss'

Another data loss fiasco last night forced Justice Secretary Jack Straw to launch an inquiry.

Thousands of prison officers may have been put at risk after a disc containing their names, dates of birth, National Insurance numbers and employee numbers were lost.

The data was missing for a year before the Prison Service and ministers were told.

Yesterday Mr Straw called an inquiry into how it happened and why ministers were kept in the dark so long.

Michael Wills, the minister in charge of data protection in Mr Straw's department, gave assurances that there were 'no significant risks to security'.

The loss is the latest in a string of disasters with confidential data to follow the disappearance last year of two discs holding details of 25million people who receive child benefit.

Only last month Home Office contractor PA Consulting lost a memory stick which held names, addresses and release dates of 127,000 criminals.

In the latest case, the disc was being used by contractors EDS. It was removed from offices at Mitcheldean in Gloucestershire in July 2007 and sent for tests at a facility in Washington, Tyne and Wear. It was then move to another EDS base in Telford, Shropshire.

It was discovered to be missing on July 2 this year. Mr Straw, however, was not told until lunchtime on Saturday. It held information on 5,000 employees of the National Offender Management Service, including prison officers who could become targets for criminals.

Colin Moses of the Prison Officers' Association, said: 'We are extremely concerned that, not only has this data been lost, but that the Prison Service appears to have tried to conceal this serious breach in security.

'It could ultimately cost the taxpayer millions and millions of pounds, because it may well mean staff having to move prisons, move homes and relocate their families.'

The Justice Secretary said: 'I have ordered an urgent inquiry into the circumstances and the implications of the data loss. I have also asked for a report as to why I was not informed as soon as my department became aware of this issue.'

Junior minister Mr Wills told the BBC: 'We believe the data is not in the public domain and therefore there are not significant risks to security.'