RIO TINTO PLC AND DATA PROTECTION

Early day motion 52, tabled 7 December 2000 by Kevin McNamara (Labour). Signed by 14 members.

That this House regrets that Rio Tinto plc, the London-based mining conglomerate, has adopted underhand tactics in its claims review scheme, arising from its operation of the former Capper Pass Smelting Plant, Hull; regrets that Rio Tinto has seen fit to process personal data and to write to many of the claimants, effectively seeking to undermine and criticise their legal representation; notes that Rio Tinto refused to give any undertaking to the solicitor representing over 300 living or deceased former workers and residents to desist from such unacceptable conduct in the future; recognises that those solicitors cannot release to Rio Tinto the names and addresses of all the claimants in connection with a claims review scheme without such an undertaking; commends the claimants for lodging a complaint with the Data Protection Commissioners; notes that in consequence the Assistant Commissioner has made an adverse provisional assessment against Rio Tinto, as a registered data controller that it is unlikely that Rio Tinto has processed personal data in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and that it should review its processing accordingly; and calls upon Rio Tinto to refrain from such misconduct in the future to enable the claims review scheme to be implemented without further delay.

Signatures by party: Labour 13, Liberal Democrat 1.