It is amazing to me that so many of my fellow countymen do not realise that the UK is a part of the American empire and has been since our defeat by the US in World War 2. As a former Macunian I would suggest that, for a start, we throw some tea chests into the "Ship Canal" followed by all the members of our so called government.

Stephen Green, Correns, France

yet another nail in the coffin of the governments drive towards the database state. We need to drive towards MORE privacy, not less, and be given much more control over our own data. To further compound the felony by using overseas companies to do work we could profit from ourselves simply beggars belief.

Ross Bennett, Monk Fryston, Leeds,

What the hell are they doing sending information about us to a foreign country for because that's what the US is, a foreign country. I dare say to add to the details the US gather about 'us' when we all go on holiday to Florida, when we visit Disney World, when we go for a dip at Typhoon Lagoon and to add insult to injury we happily queue to get our finger prints taken as well, what mugs we are, we would never allow that to happen in the UK (or maybe we've got that soft in the UK that we would).

Ajer, Reading, UK

It is utterly unaacceptable that confidential UK data can be outsourced to the USA. I have no confidence in that country. We are moving to an Orwellian nightmare where thge government exhibit stunning levels of arrogance and incompetence. They are also being bribed by Americans in order to force us to have the sinister compulsory ID cards. 100 quid each and no doubt tehg data to be stored in THe Pentagon. What with the equally perverted DNA database. Our freedoms are under constant attack. New Labour and the Brown Blair project must be ended NOW

Paul Taylor, London, UK

i've got more confidence in the professional crinimals that are so readly invited into this country, than in this tin pot goverment to safegard my personal information.

Chris , Wolverhampton, West Midlands

This is serial incompetence on an epic scale. In the private sector heads would be rolling as key executives and management would be held accountable for such serious errors. In Gordon Bean's administration ?? We are in full ' drawing a line', learning the lessons' mode. No-one is sacked, no-one resigns. How cushy and surreal life is in New Labour !!

Richard , Greater London , England

All this lost data leaves much to be desired upon the discipline of Government Officers and the chain of security and command. We can only assume it is shorts cuts and cost cutting that is to blame or just bad officers who just don't care or have no sence privacy. Maybe its "We can do what we like" instead of "if we do what we like we will get the sack" attitude thats being employed within Government departments.

Peter, Hastings, UK

When I applied for a New York Driving License, the local DMV issuing office would not accept my UK Photo Driving Licence as proof of my identity....but were happy to accept a
photograph-free US Supermarket loyalty card!

Even if the UK issued ID cards in the future, would any other nation accept them as proof of identity?

With the current track record of data loss disasters, probably not.

NYChristine, New York,

The Data Protection Act prohibits the transfer of personal information beyond the EEA unless the data subject has given explicit permission for the transfer.
The Data Protection Act makes makes no distinction between major and minor breaches.
Details about bank accounts, national insurance numbers and any other information, is irrelevant to the breach and those responsible must be held to account for their breaking the law.

Jim Ballantyne, Sandhurst, Berkshire

A government that can only tax, waste and lose private data. Well done Labour

steve, chester,

For those who aren't aware, the USA has _no_ data protection legislation equivalent to the UK and is regarded by the EU countries as not a safe place to transfer data. Any protection that is provided is mostly contractual between the parties (were the Driving Test candidates told this?). UK data held in the US can be accessed during US court cases under the "discovery" rules, unless it is "safe-harboured". Given the government's general incompetence, does anyone believe they arranged for this? Nope. thought not.

Duncan, Knebworth,

Well that's twice the government have "lost" details about myself, is there any point in locking the doors and putting on the burglar alarm when those "in charge" don't give a damn about security?

Alison Reader, Barnsley, England

now hang on. why have details been sent to america ????
is it because we still fuel americas dream to keep master records of everyone on the planet?

shripad, normanton,

What sort of government uses British taxpayers' monies to fund American companies to pay American staff salaries, directors' bonuses & American shareholder dividends in the first place?

D.B., Crymych, Pembrokeshire

Names addresses and phone numbers. This makes it an insubstantial loss as no banking details or datsof birth were included. Now let me see, how old are most people when tehy take a test.

Don't our officials understand that ID criminals are patient.; slowly building upever more complete databases from bits and bits. Of sourse they do! when they have finsished the job the governement can buy the best database in exisitence!

David, Sevenoaks, Kent

Breathtaking arrogance and complacency.

"most of the information would be available in the telephone book" and "the risks presented by the loss were not “substantial” .

These comments may be valid if this loss were not yet another example of the cavalier way in which personal data is handled by this government and its agencies.

Brown et al need to accept that enquiries, investigations and tightening policies will achieve little. The only way to make their minnions respect the people who have entrusted them with valuable, personal data is immediate dismissal of any and all officials or contractors who are responsible. No side-ways move - No index linked pension - No second chances - No excuses.

Bizzare situation really - The US outsources data processing to India, we outsource to US - nobody seems to build security into the cost/benefit calculations. Progress eh?

Can't wait to see which country will hold the data for the proposed UK ID cards.

General election - NOW!

R Bingham, Lauzun, France

What was sensitive personal data on British nationals doing in the USA anyway? You expect to hear this sort of thing happening in Swansea or London, but not Iowa!!

As soon as those discs hit US soil they were outside the remit of European data protection legislation, meaning things totally illegal in Europe could be freely done with them.

So is this how the government sidesteps data protection — a sort of extraordinary rendition for personal data.

Anyway, never mind about the missing discs, I'm sure our friends in the US government have copies they could give us!

David Aftlad, London, UK

Joke, a complete and utter joke!!

In an age where computers practically do everything you would have thought they would be more careful. I dont see why they are kept outside the U.K either.

It appears that nothing is safe. Do not fear the terrorist, hacker or criminal. Only the severe Incompetence of the current government.

Mark, Basel, Switzerland

Governments do not lack information on us. What they lack is something intelligent to do with it all.

Frank Upton, Solihull,

I think the Government should be explaining why these details were in the States and why they didn't think it necessary to ask permission of these people first?

I won't hold my breath...

G Howard, Southend,

As far as I know personal details cannot be sent outside EU just like that.
So, how can this be possible?

Jouni Laurila, Turku, Finland

What on earth is this Government doing allowing such details to be held in foreign countries? Is this yet another cost-cutting measure gone wrong? What can we trust them with if they cannot keep simple, but highly confidential, data safe?

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

The £20,000 reward should come out of Ms Kelly’s pay-packet!

Rob, Brum, UK

Can we have a box to tick on the next voting form titled "No confidence in any party", similar to the situation in belgium please. This country and the way it is managed is really going down the drain.

marcus, horndon on the hill, essex

Is not the driving license a standard identification document in UK? Great!

David, Holzhausen an der Haide, Germany

We were told last year that ID theft/crime had risen by 300%. Now it appears that government departments have been serial ID losers for a while, any connection?

Ken Wyatt, Todmorden, uk

The question we should be asking here, is why were the records of British Nationals being kept in the USA in the first place.

Robert Allen, L'pool, UK

"Government officials insisted last night that the breach was of a minor order'

They just don't get it and never will. Any such incident causes additonal public distrust in the govt's ability to function in a clear, decisive manner. If they can't handle such a trival duty as securing basic info, what can you expect when some life or death decisions are to be decided?

M Lane, NY, USA

What in the hell does the US need the details of your learner drivers for? I'm not sure whether to be scared or laugh my head off

Udo , melbourne, Australia

Yep...and these are just the Stories we know about!

Simon F, Newcastle, UK

Exactly Len!
Why are our details in the USA?
This nonsense of not recognising our individual rights are a joke.
Trouble is, if ther is rersentment against the government then our details become pawns in the game.

Doppleganger

doppleganger, london,

The company explanation is not good enough. Why are UK citizens details transfered another country?
And ID cards are next. That makes me so confident.

Len, Argyll,