Test and trace privacy fiasco yet another blunder as Ministers fail to get a grip on information collection, storage, access and protection, risling take-up by worried people

As privacy campaigners accuse the Government's test and trace programme of breaking data protection laws, and some people say they will refuse to take part in it, Newcastle Liberal Democrats Health and Social Care spokesperson Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor said:

"The fact that the Government have potentially broken the law is just another example of Ministers' disastrous handling of test and trace. For the Department of Health to admit there was no consideration on the impact this would have on our privacy shows that this Government is simply walking into blunder after blunder, failing to get a grip on this crisis.

"Of course mass testing, contact tracing and isolation at the community level for those who test positive, is the only safe way out of lockdown, but protecting individuals' privacy remains of the utmost importance.

"The Liberal Democrats have been clear that as long as there is absolute transparency when it comes to what information is collected, how long it is stored for, and who has access to this data, the Government can mitigate the concerns people have.

"Ministers must get a grip of test and trace system if they are to keep people safe from coronavirus. They must do everything they can to not only protect people's data and keep the public's trust, but ensure we get an effective app up and running as soon as possible."