Lib Dem victory on data sharing plans

The government has DROPPED controversial plans to allow people's personal details to be shared between different organisations.

The move follows a campaign by the Liberal Democrats to drop the clause in the Coroners and Justice Bill, which is currently being considered by MPs.

In a humiliating climbdown, Justice Minister Michael Wills today conceded that the powers were "drawn too widely".

The plans prompted heated debate in the Commons when the bill was first discussed in January, with even former home secretary David Blunkett raising concerns about whether they were justified.

The Liberal Democrats argued that, under the bill, data sharing would not just be restricted to public bodies, and that people's information could have been given to private companies in any country.

Mr Wills today told Lib Dem MP Adrian Sanders: "I hope it will give your constituents some reassurance that we have now withdrawn the clause that they are worried about."