Lives could be put at risk through data loss, the Information Commissioner is expected to say today.

Richard Thomas is due to explain that data loss or abuse of information has led to addresses of service personnel, police and prison officers and victims of domestic violence being exposed.

He will also warn that the centralisation of information could increase the risk of data loss.

"The more databases that are set up and the more information exchanged from one place to another, the greater the risk of things going wrong," he will say.

Mr Thomas is also due to highlight the need for tougher sanctions to deter data breaches and call on chief executives to take responsibility for the personal information held by their firms.

The Information Ccommissioner's Office is an independent public body set up to protect personal information and promote good practice.

It enforces and oversees the the Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information Act, Environmental Information Regulations and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations.

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