Wills - Latest News 04 July 2008

Lost data families sign up for compensation- 11/02/2008[top]

Families whose personal details were lost by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are hoping to receive £300 in compensation after signing up to a website which could see the government pay out £7.5 billion.

It is believed that 14,000 people have registered with Alternative Dispute Resolution Services (ADRS), a Newcastle-based firm which offers a £5.99 pack which guides customers through launching a case

Chancellor Alistair Darling last year admitted that two computer discs containing information on 25 million people went missing in the post.

Explaining the cause for making a claim, ADRS' director, Philip Knight, told the Daily Mail: "A letter saying sorry for its mistake is all very well, but the Revenue has failed to mention that the loss of this personal information is a clear breach of the Data Protection Act.

"Under that law, anyone affected by the loss of personal data is entitled to claim compensation from those who were responsible for mishandling it."

However, a spokesman for HMRC responded: "We do not accept that individuals would have a valid claim for damages under the Data Protection Act."

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