But Ira Winkler, security expert, and president and acting CEO of ISAG, said there are benefits to centralized databases. "Centralized databases provide generally good security benefits as long as they are well maintained and securely administered," said Winkler, author of Spies Among Us.

Winkler argued that in a model where there are scattered databases across government, it increases the risk of a compromise, whereas if data is consolidated and centralized, it would be easier to manage. "It is easier to focus on one system, than to bring lots of smaller systems under control," he said, adding that data breaches are happening anyway under the scattered model.

Shadow security minister, Baroness Pauline Neville Jones, who made the closing keynote at RSA Europe yesterday, voiced her support for a centralized database that would be an important investigative tool for tracking terrorists. But, she added, the government must ensure that the powers of the state are controlled and not excessive.

"It is important that government access to such material is strictly controlled to restore public confidence," said Neville Jones. "But we must not turn into a surveillance state."

"The government has not understood that just because the information is in its possession doesn't mean that it has ownership of that information. Don't treat the information as though it is ours, but treat it as though it's yours," she told an audience of press representatives.

Neville Jones also said that a Conservative Government would give the ICO more regulatory powers and would look at expanding the role in a systematic way that would see more than one Commissioner in the ICO.