I'm not saying that ICO notification is the same as Ofsted registration at all. I'm just pointing out that the argument that "paying for a piece of paper doesn't make children any safer" is the same argument that most illegal minders use and that it is similarly flawed.

Should we have a national body to oversee the way in which personal data is used and make data handlers accountable? Or should we have a free-for-all in which anyone can do whatever they like with our private data?

If we decide that such an organisation should exist, then should it be paid for entirely by the taxpayer, or is it reasonable for businesses that benefit from handling their clients' data to make a small contribution to running that organisation?