“The Home Secretary’s record on private information … displays a reckless disregard for the privacy of other people’s confidential information, matched with a determination to keep Government data just as secret as he or the Government choose at any one time. The Labour party believes that the balance should be struck differently and that it is the individual who needs protection in two ways. First, private information relevant to him or her should be protected against the state, and secondly, information possessed by the state that might result in detriment to the individual should be made available to that individual.”

— Roy Hattersley, Data Protection Bill debate, House of Commons 1983