Speaking ahead of the launch of a new internet "health check" to highlight what can be done to protect personal details, Aubrey McCrory, the new Assistant Information Commissioner for Northern Ireland urged people to protect themselves from incompetence or criminals.

New research conducted last month for the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), showed that people in Northern Ireland are increasingly aware of the value of their personal information – with 98 per cent considering it 'quite' or 'very' valuable – and more than 62 per cent claiming to routinely shred personal documents.

However, Mr McCrory, who was appointed four months ago to succeed Marie Anderson, said he was concerned that many people are still not doing enough to safeguard their information.

Speaking from the ICO's new office in Belfast city centre, Mr McCrory said that recent blunders – particularly the loss last year of 25 million taxpayer's records by on two discs posted by HMRC – had increased awareness of why it is crucial to protect personal information.

But he said it was concerning that many were still somewhat blasé about to whom they give personal information.

"While it's good to see that three in five people in Northern Ireland say they would shred or destroy their personal information, around a third of people say they would hand information over to companies whose trustworthiness they don't know.

Mr McCrory said: "The health check gives people more information – details of how they can protect themselves."

He said that he also wanted to increase awareness of people's right to ask for their information form Government or private businesses.

"People have the right to go to Government or to their bank, or another company, and ask for all the personal information that is held on them."

To take the personal information health check, visit www.ico.gov.uk/infohealthcheck.

l TOMORROW: The new freedom of information enforcer vows to open up Northern Ireland departments to more scrutiny.