Top firms 'breaching data rules'

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Company bosses must take the security of employees' and customers' personal information seriously, the Information Commissioner warned.

Orange, Barclays, NatWest and several other high street banks are among the firms which have been rapped by the privacy watchdog.

In his annual report, Information Commissioner Richard Thomas criticises a catalogue of security lapses.

"The roll call of banks, retailers, Government departments, public bodies and other organisations which have admitted serious security lapses is frankly horrifying," he said.

"My message to those at the top of organisations is to respect the privacy of individuals and the integrity of the information held about them, to embrace data protection positively and to be sure you are not the business or political leader who failed to take information rights seriously."

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) received nearly 24,000 inquiries and complaints about personal information issues in 2006-07, its annual report says.

In the last year, the watchdog found 12 high street banks guilty of discarding customers' personal details in unsecured bins outside their premises.

According to the ICO's 2006-07 annual report, 56.45% of the data protection cases it received required only advice and guidance.

The watchdog thought a breach was likely to have happened in 35% of cases, of which 77% resulted in remedial action.