UK government loses data on 25 million Britons
Personal data on every child in the country and national insurance numbers and bank account details of parents and carers claiming child benefit have gone missing after the government sent two password-protected CDs through the post.
The loss, one of the worst incidents of its kind, has sparked the sudden resignation of Paul Grey, the chairman of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) today.
"HMRC has a responsibility towards the public. It has failed to meet the standards expected of it," Alastair Darling, the chancellor, said in the House of Commons today. "I deeply regret this and apologise for the anxiety that will be caused."
