Coronavirus: Wrekin MP calls for data sharing laws to be relaxed during crisis to help protect people
Mark Pritchard MP has called for data protection laws to be relaxed during the coronavirus pandemic so that fire services, councils and health bodies can share information and help people more effectively.
Mr Pritchard said: "Different public authorities hold different types and levels of information on the vulnerable groups that are being helped by central government.
"For example, local fire authorities hold information on individuals that local councils do not, yet the data protection laws prevent them from sharing this information at this vital time."
He said that he hopes the information commissioner and central government relax the rules so that the services can share relevant information on vulnerable people more easily.
Mr Pritchard also said the government should consider extending its definition of 'key workers' who can continue sending their children to school during the coronavirus pandemic, and mooted sanctions for people who claim to be key workers and "clearly are not".
Although schools shut for most children this week, the government's advice is for schools to continue caring for "children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home".
This currently includes health workers, government officials, people who work in food production and police among other groups.
Mr Pritchard said on social media: "It appears the government needs to consider i) extending the definition of keyworkers ii) consider introducing sanctions for those who claim to be keyworkers – who clearly are not.
"That said, some non keyworker parents have strong arguments for needing to leave children in schools."
