Re: "lost" - "unencrypted" is worse.
I think that's slightly harsh. People have been using the Royal Mail to send confidential data - bank statements, cheques, deeds, court summons, plots to overthrow the government, porn, contracts, medical records, tax returns, mortgage applications - for 400 years. We, as a society including the courts, government and general population, have always treated the post and private couriers as secure. Much more secure than email.
This concept of having to encrypt is very new. CPS don't encrypt faxes and I doubt very much if they encrypt paper letters.
In fact I'll bet that the ICO sent their communications about this case in the clear by paper post.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
