The Information Commissioner’s Office said there was widespread use of such channels within the department, which posed real risks to accountability and transparency within government. He said the DHSC did not have the “adequate organizational or technical controls” to ensure risks were properly managed and called for a government-wide review of the use of such channels – including private emails and WhatsApp messages – across Whitehall. “Evidence widely available in the public sector also suggests that this practice is common across much of the rest of government and predates the pandemic,” the ICO said. The ICO launched its investigation in July last year amid concerns about the use of private messaging channels by former health secretary Matt Hancock – and his deputy, James Bethel. The report found that official information was shared through 29 WhatsApp accounts, 17 private text accounts, eight private email accounts and one LinkedIn account. John Edwards, the UK’s information commissioner, said: “I understand the value of instant communication that something like WhatsApp can bring, particularly during the pandemic where officials have been forced to make quick decisions and work to meet different demands . “However, the price of using these methods, although not against the law, should not lead to a lack of transparency and inadequate data security.” The ICO said it had issued a reprimand to DHSC under the UK’s General Data Protection Regulation, requiring the department to improve its processes and procedures around the handling of personal information through private mail channels and to ensure that information is kept secure. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST A government spokesman said the ICO report would be carefully considered and a review of the policy on the use of “non-corporate” communication channels was already underway. “This report makes it clear that the mail channels used by ministers and the ministry were legitimate,” the spokesman said. “Ministers and officials have had to work at an extraordinary pace during the pandemic and the use of modern technology has been essential to deliver important public services that have saved lives.” The report found that a mix of private and official accounts were used by Hancock, who resigned a month before the inquiry began, and other DHSC ministers, including Lord Bethel. It also found that material from private accounts was regularly promoted to official accounts to “ensure that information was recorded appropriately”.
