Insult to Injury
Dear Child Benefit Customer
I am writing to make a personal apology. A copy of some HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) data about families, including yours, who have received Child Benefit has been lost. The copy of the data is likely to still be on Government property. The police are now conducting a search, and there is no evidence that it is in the possession of anyone else. This will not affect your Child Benefit payments.
This data includes your and your children’s names and dates of birth, your address, your National Insurance number and, where relevant, the details of the bank or building society account into which your Child Benefit is or was paid. I would like to offer my personal apologies for any worry or concern this data loss may cause you. And I can assure you that all efforts are being made to ensure that such a loss can never happen again.
....I would like to offer my personal apologies for any worry or concern this data loss may cause you. And I can assure you that all efforts are being made to ensure that such a loss can never happen again.
Dave Hartnett
Thanks Dave, that's all right now is it? In my book a "personal apology" is one that is "Done, made, or performed in person" - are you going to pop round later for a cup of tea and biscuits and actually deliver your "personal apology" or do you think a mass mailed corporate PRspeak missive is one?