engine - 5:48 pm on Apr 25, 2012 (gmt 0)

UK Public Sector Fined For Bulk of Data Loss [bbc.co.uk]

The UK's private sector accounted for more than a third of all reported data breaches over 11 months, but less than 1% of the resulting fines, according to a Freedom of Information request. The data was issued by the Information Commissioner's Office after a request by satellite system-maker Viasat. It shows five fines totalling £790,000 were imposed on the public sector and one £1,000 penalty on a private firm.

The release covered self-reported personal data security breaches between 22 March 2011 and 17 February 2012.

As these are self-reported, I would have thought that the private sector probably would have just kept quiet.