The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has found the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) in breach of the Data Protection Act after computer equipment stick was reported lost or stolen. The personal details of over 6,000 members were contained on the laptop and memory stick which a member of union staff either lost or had stolen from the, whilst packing his car. Neither piece of equipment was encrypted although the laptop was password protected.

ATL General Secretary, Mary Bousted, has now signed an Undertaking to ensure that by 28 February 2010 all portable and mobile devices used to store and transmit personal details are encrypted. The Undertaking also requires a review of the policy covering the transfer and storage of personal data. Staff will need to be made aware of this policy and prohibited from storing personal information on their own memory sticks.