Richard Thomas (Information Commissioner)

Richard Thomas is the Information Commissioner of the United Kingdom, and has held the post since 2002. He is currently expected to continue in this post until 2009^[1]. During his time in office, he has raised concerns over the increased use of closed-circuit television (CCTV)^[2] and the introduction of ID Cards^[3] in the UK. He is also a visiting professor of Law at Northumbria University.^[4]

Born in June 1949, the son of a magistrate, Thomas attended public school and studied law at Southampton University in the late 1960s (he was later awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from this same university).^[5] While at university, he became involved in left-wing politics.^[6]

In his early career, he worked as an articled clerk and solicitor with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (from 1971) and the Citizens Advice Bureau, Notting Hill (from 1974). He then went on to work in legal and public affairs positions with the National Consumer Council (from 1979) and the Office of Fair Trading.^[1]^[6] While at the National Consumer Council he was also involved with the Campaign for Freedom of Information and had a secondary involvement in the publishing of a book of essays entitled Consuming Secrets.^[6]^[7]

“	The measures in the bill go well beyond establishing a secure, reliable and trustworthy ID card. The measures in relation to the National Identity Register and data trail of identity checks on individuals risk an unnecessary and disproportionate intrusion into individuals' privacy.	”
—Richard Thomas, On the National Identity Register ^[8]

Most recently, he has been a Director of Public Policy at the prestigious law firm Clifford Chance, the first to hold this position.^[6]

He has been married to Julia Clark since 1974 and they have three adult children. He and his wife live in Reigate, Surrey.^[6]

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