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Measures to prevent organisations using the Data Protection Act 1998 as "an excuse for their own shortcomings" were announced by the information commissioner Richard Thomas last month.

The measures include strengthening the data protection helpline to support organisations which have problems interpreting the act, developing more practical and user-friendly guidance and a commitment to using plain English in all communications on data protection.

Thomas added that the data protection principles were "largely matters of common sense and fairness but data protection can never be a set of detailed do's and don'ts".

The move follows claims by Humberside police following the conviction of Ian Huntley for the Soham murders that it had deleted details of allegations about him inn order to comply with the act. And British Gas said the act had prevented the company informing social services when it disconnected the gas supply of an older couple who were later found dead.

Meanwhile, the Scottish executive has announced that it wants employers to pass details to it of anyone they have ever sacked for misconduct towards children. Names are to be added to the list of persons unsuitable to work with children, which was announced in February last year under the Child Protection Act 2003 and will come into force soon.  Retrospective inclusion on the list will immediately prevent a person from working with children.

For more information go to  www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk and www.scotland.gov.uk