It seems not a week goes past now without another example of public sector officials misplacing our private data. The latest dose of stupidity comes from a NHS Trust staff member in Lancashire. The health worker lost a memory stick being used to backup 6,000 records from clinical databases at HMP Preston.

The memory stick was of course encrypted. But, wait for it… the password was written on a note attached to the stick!

According to a spokesman from the Central Lancashire NHS Trust, the stick contains prisoner surnames, their broad age range, prison number, cell location, prison clinic appointment times, and review dates. It also includes details of some prisoners’ ailments, such as diabetes, asthma, mental health and sexual health.

Encryption is utterly useless unless those responsible for the data follow processes to the letter. Any deviation and our data is at risk. With thousands of people expected to be involved in administering the National Identity Register and ID card programme, how can we possibly trust the government when they say our data is secure?