FiL wants all our data

[HighlandCowSaysBooNotMoo]

My father in law works in a government role.
Today he put a message in the family WhatsApp group asking if we could send him our addresses, d.o.bs, mothers maiden names, our place of birth, our address history, previous maiden names etc.
Apparently he needs this info from his 4 adult children, their spouses (me included) , his own siblings and his siblings spouses, grandchildren, his in laws etc. Basically he is covering every member of the family and spouses etc over the age of 18.
He has put something light hearted about it being needed for an enhanced security check that he's been told he needs for his job.
He is not changing jobs or position in the company. He has been in this job for since my husband was a wee kid!!
A couple of people have responded straight away with their data.
DH says IABU not to share mine with his dad
What do I do?

Well I'd not be happy doing it but unsure what the ringing alarm bells are saying

lol no way would I be voluntarily handing over my data.

This is pretty normal for government jobs, he may be working on a new project with heightened security clearance. They are going to do it whether you supply the info or not unfortunately. I know I’ve been checked for a least 2 family members jobs who didn’t even bother to ask me, just handed over my info. The government will already have all this information by the way, assuming you have a passport.

I'd be telling him to fuck off because that is very intrusive, and rather dubious.

If he works for the government he can put the work in himself to collect that info.

To me that sounds creepy as fuck. And your DH sounds like an idiot.

I supplied mine for a security check on a close family member. It's not asking anything intrusive. Why wouldn't you?

If they didn’t ask you how you knew that you have been checked?

Wouldn't his employers contact us for the information themselves if its needed?
And why the need to vet the spouses of his family .

I've been asked for similar information when just applying for a USA visa I could imagine that security clearance would as intrusive.

It sounds like he needs the highest level of security vetting - Developed Vetting.

You can read about it and the data required here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ab53acded915d78bc23467c/Security_Questionnaire_Hints_and_Tips_-_DV-O_v2.pdf

Is it definitely from him? Not sure I’d be putting all that info together in an insecure setting.

Wait until he has to do deep version. Fuck me I thought even my gynaecologist was going to be questioned.

I have to go through background checks pretty regularly at my long held job. A new project often means a new authorization. My family and friends are used to it at this point. The fun part is that every time it happens I get to contact my XH and ask his current address.

Someone else will probably have more precise info but I worked briefly in the MOD as a call handler for their pay and pensions department but it was subject to the full checks because I was based in an MOD building. I did need to provide details for immediate family although I don't remember it being that many. It didn't go as far as aunts and uncles so in-laws seems weird. Mind you, might be different levels for different roles.

It is a bit odd that he's never needed it until now and hasn't changed jobs. Worth questioning.

On the other hand, I believe there are strict rules about staff in those sorts of roles accessing records for friends and family which would result in him being fired if it was found out. Makes me think it isn't necessarily anything sinister unless he's an idiot.

He’s not doing it very well if he’s not explaining a bit more sensitively why it’s needed and how he appreciates your help.

Getting Developed Vetting is an incredibly intrusive process - it allows you to have access to incredibly secret and sensitive documents pertaining to national security, so they have to make sure there is nothing in your life that could be used to blackmail you.

Because a friend does the same job and we were chatting about her struggling to get some of the information she needed from her relatives and then I twigged that my relatives must have done the same thing so I asked them.

We had to provide this information when my son got a job with the MOD

No he hasn't explained it very well at all and if its all legitimate would his employers not contact us themselves for the information

When I worked in a government job some of my colleagues in sensitive positions were "positively vetted". So not only was information about their family and friends collected, but some of their neighbours, previous workmates, school teachers etc would be interviewed by security staff.

People who need this level of security clearance normally work for the Foreign Office or the Ministry of Defence.

They have no access to the basic personal information of UK citizens and residents. There’s no single database with everyone’s info in that anyone across government can access. That’s not how ‘the government’ works.

Honestly, there’s not even a single patient database that both GPs and hospitals can access! This country is far less joined up than you think it is.

DH had to do this recently and it involved gathering information about me and members of my family. It's not necessarily sinister. Maybe he's being a bit blase to cover up the fact that he's a spy 🕵️‍♂️

They would not.

How would the govt know your mother’s maiden name though? I didn’t think people were linked to their parents in that way

He does have a newspaper with two eye holes cut out 😉

Not the point, but he's asking for addresses? He doesn't know where his own children/siblings/grandchildren live? Or when they were born?