We are all familiar with the bugbear of CCTV, e mal interception, ANPR, plastic police, ContactPoint (database of all children), computerised medical records, DNA testing, ID cards, biometric passports,being shopped by neighbours for rewards and so on.
I have a new one.
A letter arrives from a market research company acting on behalf of the DCSF (Ed Balls's department). It contains a questionnaire and tells me I have been selected at random for a survey on the well being of children.
What does it want to know?
The Boy's NAME, age, address, doctor, school and health record.
If I return it (by post), the information will be entered on a 'secure database' protected by the DPA.
Bin and a call to tell them they can fook off. Prying, nosey bastards