New probe into judge data discs

A newspaper reported that the discs contained 55,000 files containing names, bank account details and addresses of judges, magistrates, barristers and solicitors, as well as data relating to police authorities and Prince Charles's Duchy of Cornwall estate.

According to the paper, they were sent by a company doing outsourced work for the Department of Constitutional Affairs to another firm which was hired in October 2006 to overhaul the way the department's finances were run.

Frank Milford from Newark, Notts, reportedly phoned to ask for a list of suppliers for his company FCN Solutions Ltd and expected no more than business names and invoice details.

He told a newspaper his eyes "nearly popped out" when he received the CDs by standard post and found they contained details of every person and business paid by the DCA over the previous five years.

These included the then Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer, the former Lord Chief Justice Lord Woolf and the Government assessor of anti-terror laws Lord Carlile, he said. And he alleged that the CDs were not encrypted and were not sent by recorded or registered post.

If confirmed, the allegations will prove a fresh embarrassment for Gordon Brown's Government following the loss of personal details relating to child benefit claimants on discs sent out by HM Revenue and Customs.

The DCA was replaced by the Ministry of Justice in a Whitehall shake-up in May this year.

A Ministry spokeswoman said: "An allegation has been made and it was made this evening. Consequently we will launch an investigation to establish the facts."

The spokeswoman was unable to confirm any of the details of the story.