Criticism of Coroners and Justice Bill continues

Justice Secretary Jack Straw has indicated that he will make changes to a controversial plan to allow Whitehall departments to swap the data they hold on individuals.

Criticism of the Coroners and Justice Bill has been voiced by MPs across all parties, privacy groups and a growing number of organisations including the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the British Medical Association (BMA).

In particular one clause of the bill has raised serious concern. Clause 152 has been cited as taking another step towards a 'Big Brother' state. This clause would give Government ministers the right to raise what are called Information Sharing Orders.

This would allow them to access data collected by an individual, Government department or agency, the NHS, even a private company and use or share it elsewhere without parliamentary scrutiny.

Privacy organisation No2ID said this would be a major departure from the principles of the Data Protection Act. An extreme example could be sharing the DNA samples taken from newborn babies with the national DNA database, making the database nationwide without gaining consent.

The organisation said: "It is a bill to build the database state, concealed under a misleading name."

The BMA said it would "permit an unprecedented sharing of confidential personal health data" and "strip patients and doctors of any rights in relation to the control of sensitive health information".

The ICO said the powers are too wide-ranging.

Even David Blunkett, former Home Secretary, is said to be warning the Government about fears of the UK becoming a totalitarian state at the 21st annual law lecture at Essex University this evening.

Although fears of a backbench revolt mean Mr Straw is now expected to try to narrow the terms of the data sharing in the bill, a representative of No2ID was less than optimistic about this happening.