Controversy over UK escrow proposal (fwd)

[Paul Bradley <paul@fatmans.demon.co.uk>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 1997 12:08:13 +0100
From: Ross Anderson <Ross.Anderson@cl.cam.ac.uk>
To: ukcrypto@maillist.ox.ac.uk
Cc: prz@pgp.com
Subject: Controversy over UK escrow proposal

This may be of interest, as the first news report that a government
department is going on the record to oppose the escrow proposals of
another government department.

Ross


Encryption: NHS FIGHTS TO BE EXEMPT FROM TTP

Service claims key data access would breach patient confidentiality

(Network Week v 2 no 41 (9/7/97), front page lead)

By Daryl Wilcox

The NHS has demanded to be exempt from proposed regulations requiring
encryption keys to be lodged with a trusted third party (TTP).

  The NHS said it was concerned that if keys to medical data were
held by TTPs, as proposed by the DTI for access by law enforcernent
agencies, patients would lose confidence in the service's commitment
to confidentiality.

  A source close to the DTl confirmed last week that the NHS had
called for an exemption from TTP rules in a submission to the DTI on
its proposals. The NHS is keen to be free to adopt encryption to
allow the electronic movement of patient records between hospitals
and GPs.

  The move looked likely to fuel widespread objection to the
proposals from commerce and civil liberties groups, who would
interpret the NHS position as a blow to thc credibility of a
compulsory TTP system.

  Marion Bain, hcad of data protection issues at the Common Services
Agency of the NHS, raised the NHS's concerns at last week's annual
conference of data protection professionals' club Privacy and
Business.

  ``The NHS concerns are different to business con- cems,'' she
said. ``Patients would be resistant to the electronic transfer of
their information if they thought access to it was available to a
third party. The NHS would welcome being exempt from TTP rules.''

  A source close to tlie DTI said: ``The NHS wants no part of a TTP
rule. They have fought hard for patient data to only be made
available to clinical practitioners and they want to preserve this.''

(ends)