The Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) has done an about-turn and given evidence on 98 organisations and individuals, who hired private investigators (PIs), to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
According to The Independent, 20 files from a Soca investigation into a group of rogue PIs, codenamed Operation Millipede, will be looked into by the ICO, to make a call on whether any action would be taken against those involved.
Included in the files are receipts for payment and correspondence between various parties involved in illegally obtaining the information.
The worst the companies involved face is a fine of up to £500 000, as law enforcement has already taken a decision not to prosecute them for more serious offences.
Soca director-general Trevor Pearce is due to be questioned by a committee of MPs this week. Initially, he said Soca would only hand the evidence to the ICO once an investigation by Scotland Yard - Operation Tuleta - into evidence gathered some time ago was completed.
ICO chairman Keith Vaz said the committee wants an explanation as to why Soca has dragged its feet on handing the information over. He also said the ICO might not be able to deal with the volumes of information, as it has only a few investigators who look into data protection offences and that he will ask the Ministry of Justice for assistance.
It emerged in June that Soca had known for years that companies and individuals had been using PIs to illegally obtain personal information, but had taken no action.
In July, it was reported that UK police gave MPs a list of 102 businesses and people who were believed to be involved in the scandal, and Soca admitted to having in its possession a list of an additional 200 clients, that it has not yet handed over to the committee.
Soca said it needed Scotland Yard's permission to share the information, which it has now received. Scotland Yard added that since Operation Tuleta is likely to carry on for some time still, it has agreed to a "data-sharing arrangement with the ICO that does not prejudice current operations".
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