Here’s three stories from last week’s press you may have overlooked:

2007 – worst year ever for data protection

The Register carries a Lib Dem story on data protection – Nick Clegg points out that what with the Child Benefit CDs, learner driver records, patients’ NHS files and many other data failings, up to 37 million people have had their privacy compromised.

Clegg rebuffs Tories on constitutional reform

The Lib Dems responded to Cameron’s tongue-in-cheek offer of a “progressive alliance” with serious suggestions of a cross-party independent commission to look carefully at all aspects of constitutional reform in the UK. The Independent reports

discussions have stalled after Mr Cameron did not back the convention but proposed more limited co-operation between the parties issue by issue. Mr Clegg regards that as “old politics” and an attempt by the Tories to keep on good terms in the hope of wooing the Liberal Democrats in the event of a hung parliament.

In a sharply-worded letter to Mr Cameron, Mr Clegg accused him of missing the point of his plan for a convention. “These are not issues which can be resolved in closed meetings between just two parties examining a narrow range of issues on a piecemeal basis. That is the old way of doing politics, which I am determined to change,” he said.

Inventor of DNA fingerprint rejects DNA database

BBC News reported last week that Prof Sir Alec Jeffreys, who invented DNA fingerprinting techniques, does not believe the Government’s DNA database is in the national interest.

Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys told the BBC the retention of thousands of innocent people’s DNA raised “significant ethical and social issues”.