PSNI Chief Constable to be quizzed by Commons committee over data breaches

The surnames, initials and base of around 10,000 officers and staff were among the leaks affecting the PSNI in recent weeks.

Simon Byrne is to be quizzed by MPs over data breaches (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

Northern Ireland’s Chief Constable Simon Byrne is set to be quizzed by a House of Commons committee next week following data breaches.

Personal data on all serving members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) was mistakenly published earlier this month in response to a freedom of information request.

Details of around 10,000 PSNI officers and staff included the surname and first initial of every employee, their rank or grade, where they are based and the unit they work in.

The PSNI has confirmed the list is in the hands of dissident republicans, who continue to target officers.

Just earlier this year Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell was shot a number of times at leisure facility in Co Tyrone.

Police officers and their representative organisations have spoken out in recent weeks over concern for their safety.

A number of other data breaches have since come to light, including the loss of a police officer’s laptop and notebook which contained details of 42 officers and members of staff after the items fell from a moving vehicle last week.

An independently led end-to-end review of the circumstances surrounding the data breaches has been commissioned.

On Friday, the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has announced its own investigation of recent data leaks.

The probe will see MPs question Mr Byrne and Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd.

The committee said they will discuss “the process to protect such information and why it failed in the run-up to the leak”.

Representatives from other bodies, including the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers will also appear before the committee on September 5.

They will be asked about the impact of the breach on morale in the service and the concerns of and consequences for frontline officers and backroom staff.