Just who was in charge fo the 25 Million records that went missing?

Well, the Minister - obviously. Except sucessive governments have been obliged by international treaties to outsource the very task that has gone wrong. This was outsourced on the basis of being done better by business. So who was responsible for the security of the data? Looking into public government records shows a wide range of people. None elected.

Sector Pan Government
Contract reference: CP/PFI/110
Status Current
Contract start 18 December 2003
Contract end 18 December 2028
Lead organisation MoD
Contract management approach Full Contract Management
Framework No
Contract Description Contract Description:
An archive services solution for government records, which has list X status. Service includes the deposit, secure storage, retrieval and next day delivery of records, including those protectively marked up to Secret. TNT has the capacity and experience to manage the uplift of multi-million quantities records from customer sites and also offers an accredited destruction service.

How to join:
For information on how to join the contract, contact the OGC Service Desk: T: 0845 000 4999 E:  ServiceDesk@ogc.gsi.gov.uk.

Suppliers:
TNT Archive Services.

Keywords Archive, records, archiving,


TNT were awarded this contract. TNT were awarded the contract on the basis of "secure storage, retrieval and next day delivery of records" clearly they have failed. There presence in all parts of government demonstrates that all government records are at risk.


Sector Pan Government
Contract reference: 868/001
Status Current
Contract start 1 April 2002
Contract end 31 March 2009
Potential extension period 3 x 12 months


Lead organisation DWP
Contract management approach Full Contract Management


Framework No
Contract Description Contract Description:
The contract provides for scheduled collections of mail / parcels and their delivery to Business addresses within the UK. The contract provides:Non-Documented Services where mail is transferred between sites on the contract, including a requirement for 98% of correctly addressed mail to be delivered by the next day.Documented Service for valuable or urgent items, including a full track and trace facility in items sent though the service. This service is available from any Business Address in the UK to any Business Address in the UK.

How to join:
For information on how to join the contract, contact the OGC Service Desk: T: 0845 000 4999 E:  ServiceDesk@ogc.gsi.gov.uk.

Suppliers:
TNT

Keywords Courier, distribution, parcel, delivery


Having achieved a foot in the door with the first contract, TNT now only guarantee 98% of items despite, "Documented Service for valuable or urgent items, including a full track and trace facility in items sent though the service." No wonder TNT are remaining quiet: they are responsible for the debacle. If they can just keep quiet while it blows over, ther will be no resignations and no loss of contract.

Sector Pan Government
Contract reference: Not applicable
Status Current
Contract start 1 April 2006
Contract end 31 March 2008
Potential extension period 24 months


Lead organisation OGC Buying Solutions
Contract management approach Full Contract Management


Framework Yes
Contract Description Contract Description:
A multi-source option encompassing 9 framework contracts for postal services, covering:

End to End postal delivery
Down stream Access (DSA)
Mail Consolidation
Secure Mail
Track and Trace
Response Services
Pre-sortation for inbound delivery
PO Boxes
Undeliverables
Redirection
Bespoke services tailored to individual customer needs
Public Sector organisations can contract under the frameworks for up to a 3 year period or 2 years after the expiry of the framework, whichever is the earlier.

How to join:
For information on how to join the contract, contact the OGC Service Desk:
T: 0845 000 4999 E:  ServiceDesk@ogc.gsi.gov.uk.

Suppliers:
DHL Global Mail; DX; Lynx Express; Royal Mail; Secure Mail Services; The Mailing House; TNT post; UK Mail.

Keywords Post, mail, delivery, distribution, domestic


Of course TNT are also asking to be allowed to carry domestic mail. Individuals do not have the clout of a Government department. So, unless the Government in the capacity of being servants of the people, dump TNT from sensitive contracts, they will simply carry on with the abysmal level of service.

This is not about political point scoring. This is about being practical. TNT are not fit for purpose in the Government sector. They advertise all sorts of promises in the above contractual descriptions and then fail to deliver. Because it is "business" they expect to negotiate their way out of censure. Let the Government minister take the flack. This is not good enough. The business service they provide is not good enough if it can lose twenty five million records. Their relationship should be terminated right now. No compensation and complete liability for any potential fraud against those 25 million people harmed by their failure to deliver the service they advertised.

There are too many private companies providing "better and cheaper" services to government. Their presence is a separate debate that should not distract from the central point: if private companies provide these services in to government then they too are responsible when it goes wrong. It is not about the kind of society we want and need but about what we have. If we have courier companies providing a service to government then they should accept being held to the same standard as the Government.

If any minister resigns and contracts are not cancelled, then it becomes patently obvious that the government has ceased to be run by consent for the common good and is being run by business for private profit. That might not suprise some people.