Introduction
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Between 10 July and 12 November 2009 I received 473 individual complaints about the loss of an unencrypted data stick by a contractor working for the Home Office. Of these, 24 complaints were not referred to me by an MP and as such were closed as not properly made. That left 449 complaints for me to consider. Given that all of these 449 complaints were essentially about the same issue, the loss of the data stick, I have looked in detail at the events as they affected the complainant in one lead complaint, which I am satisfied is representative of the complaints put to me. This report explains why I have decided not to investigate these complaints.
In the course of my assessment of these complaints I have considered the complaint that was put to me by the lead complainant and I have received further information from the solicitors who represent the vast majority of complainants. In addition, I have made enquiries of the Home Office and have received information from them direct. That information included a letter from the Permanent Secretary of 13 November 2009, which provided additional information about the work that had been undertaken in assessing the risk to individuals caused by the data loss.
