Latest News
Week commencing 28th May 2007
Liverpool Mini-Census
A mini-census was undertaken last week in Liverpool in a test prior to the next national census. People from Merseyside could volunteer information responding to questions such as the amount of money they earn and whether they have a second home. The official census however must be completed by each household. The Green Party has complained that the US company (which also makes weapons and military aircraft) should not be holding our sensitive information. The Data Protection Act stipulates that extra measures have to be used if information is to be passed outside of EU countries. The Green Party claims that the information is now in America. The Census Offices argued that there are safeguards in place preventing the data going to the US.
MPs Avoiding Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act entitles people to request from public authorities to provide information that they have in their possession. MPs have voted to support a Private Member's Bill proposing that MPs should be exempt from such requests and will not have to disclose information that they hold. The MPs have claimed that the exemption is necessary otherwise they may be obliged to provide information that may relate to people who could be damaged by the disclosure (eg women who have been moved to "safe houses" because of violent partners). The argument is however that this would not be the case as this would be an exemption to disclosure. The Data Protection Act prevents the disclosure of information that identifies a third party.
Online Sellers Beware
BPI was awarded £41m in damages in its case against online retailer CD Wow. CD Wow was in contempt of court and in breach of copyright after signing undertakings in January 2004 that it would stop selling CDs to UK and Irish customers that had first been put on the market outside the European Union - this is known as parallel importing.
Damages were £37m and £4m in interest, increasing at a daily rate of £9,000. There may be additional damages that the retailer must pay, as well as the size of the fine the company faces for contempt of court and legal costs to be awarded to the BPI.
The judgment makes it clear that parallel importing is illegal.
Jade Gallagher
Jade performs on Radio 2's Friday Night Live, 1st June 2007.
