blimey people have short memories
Nothing to do with data protection
After Ponting admitted revealing the information, the Ministry of Defence suspended Ponting without pay.[6] On 17 August 1985, he was charged with a criminal offence under Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act of 1911.[7][6] The Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, had his pay reinstated once she had been briefed on what had happened.[6] Ponting's defence at the trial was that the matter and its disclosure to a Member of Parliament was in the public interest.[7] This was the first case under the Official Secrets Act that involved giving information to Parliament.