Senior Data Protection Specialist Jon Baines was invited recently to speak at an event hosted by Chris Evans MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Archives and History.
The event marked the launch of the Campaign for Records – Democracy and Rights in the Digital Age, a joint initiative of the Archives and Records Association (ARA) and the Information and Records Management Society (IRMS). The Campaign calls for better records management in public life, more resources, modern law, better regulation and improved freedom of information and access to public records.
Jon's speech emphasised that the existing legal framework could be better used to encourage more effective record-keeping and greater transparency, but that this would require input and commitment from the Information Commissioner's Office.
Extracts from Jon's speech are on the webpage for the Campaign, as are those of the other speakers, who included Chris Evans MP, Richard Ovenden, Bodley's Librarian in the University of Oxford and Lord Parkinson of Whitely Bay, Minister for Arts and Heritage.