National Health Service organisations are individually accountable for their management of patient information and must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and common law confidentiality requirements. The sale of patient identifiable data, without patient consent, would be an unlawful act. Where data is brought together in large databases for purposes other than care - for example, commissioning and medical research \u2013 the Government intends to ensure that data will be handled in secure environments, for a limited range of approved purposes and under strict controls. The Government will shortly be consulting on the controls and safeguards that should be established to reassure patients and the wider public.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government has made changes through the Care Act to extend the role of the independent Confidentiality Advisory Group (CAG), which advises the Secretary of State and the Health Research Authority on non-direct care uses of confidential health data. The CAG can advise the Health and Social Care Information Centre and ensure, as outlined in the Care Act that there is a clear legal basis to support the disclosure of patient data and that data are only used for care related purposes.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2000", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Earl Howe"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Earl Howe"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-02T12:54:11.6577169Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Medical Records: Data Protection"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that patient data held by the National Health Service are not sold improperly.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"} ], "uin" : "HL441"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/62513", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/62513/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
<\/p>
The universal postal service is protected in primary legislation \u2013 the Postal Services Act 2011. Under the Act, Parliament has established the minimum requirements of the universal service \u2013 which include letter deliveries 6 days a week at a uniform and affordable rate throughout the UK. Only Parliament can change the minimum requirements.<\/p>
<\/p>
Government has ensured that ongoing protection of the universal service is at the heart of the regulatory regime by giving Ofcom the primary statutory duty to secure the provision of the universal service and to this end Ofcom must have regard for the financial sustainability of the universal service.<\/p>
<\/p>
Ofcom has put in place a comprehensive monitoring regime that tracks the financial sustainability of the universal service and Parliament has ensured that the regulator has the powers and tools it needs to intervene in the market if the provision of the universal service is ever at risk.<\/p>
<\/p>
The steps we have taken to reform the regulatory framework coupled with securing access to the much needed private capital for Royal Mail, as the designated Universal Service Provider, are the best way to safeguard the future of a sustainable universal postal service in the UK.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4169", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-02T14:54:32.1355358Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Postal Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect the universal postal service in the light of declining use of the service.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
], "uin" : "HL442"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/62514", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/62514/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> Under the Postal Services Act 2011, Parliament gave Ofcom, as an independent regulator for postal services, the primary statutory duty to secure the provision of the universal service.<\/p> <\/p> Last year, following a consultation, Ofcom, as the independent regulator for postal services, set out its guidance on its approach to intervening in response to a material threat to the provision of the universal service.<\/p> <\/p> Ofcom has made clear that if its ongoing monitoring regime, which keeps the situation under continual review and allows for any new evidence, does not prompt the need for any earlier assessment, it will as a matter of course carry out a full assessment of the impact of competition on the universal service towards the end of 2015.<\/p> <\/p> More information about Ofcom's regulatory regime can be found on its website (www.ofcom.org.uk).<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4169", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-02T14:56:36.3968312Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Postal Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are considering a review of the direct delivery market in the light of postal service providers other than Royal Mail being able to serve selected areas only.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
], "uin" : "HL443"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/62515", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/62515/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> Under the Postal Services Act 2011, Parliament gave Ofcom, as an independent regulator for postal services, the primary statutory duty to secure the provision of the universal service.<\/p> <\/p> Parliament has given Ofcom the regulatory powers and tools it needs to intervene in the market if the universal service is ever at risk. It is for Ofcom to determine how it uses its powers and tools in support of its statutory duties.<\/p> <\/p> Ofcom also has a duty to promote competition where that benefits consumers, though should the two duties be in conflict it is the universal service that takes precedence in the interests of postal users.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> More information about Ofcom's regulatory regime can be found on its website (www.ofcom.org.uk).<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4169", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-02T14:55:44.1885289Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Postal Services"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are considering any regulatory changes to protect the universal postal service in the light of postal service providers other than Royal Mail being able to serve selected areas only.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
], "uin" : "HL444"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/62441", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/62441/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "