A SCOTTISH council has been fined £ 140,000 after repeatedly releasing sensitive information about vulnerable children and carers to the wrong people . Midlothian Council was guilty of five data protection breaches in as many months last year . It is the first local authority in Scotland to be fined by the Information Commissioner ’s Office ( ICO ) , which is calling for stronger auditing powers to detect other breaches . Midlothian has apologised and said staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings , but insisted no - one was put at risk . In one instance , on 1 June , child protection minutes were sent to the former home of a mother ’s partner , who had lived there in a previous relationship . “ The commissioner understands that the former partner may have further disseminated this information to individuals in the wider local community , ” the ICO report said . ;