Premier Gordon Campbell says the disappearance of up to five years of cabinet e-mails does not break any privacy rules.

The NDP and defence lawyers in the corruption case stemming from the raid on the B.C. legislature claim some information that may be related to the case could have been deleted.

But Campbell says the government ensures all information that must be protected under privacy rules is protected.

Two former government aides -- Dave Basi and Bobby Virk -- are accused of providing government information to a lobbying firm during negotiations to sell BC Rail.

Defence lawyer Michael Bolton says the lost e-mails could clear his client and he insists the messages could be recovered -- including some involving Premier Campbell.

Bolton claims the leaked information involving BC Rail actually came from inside cabinet because neither Basi or Virk attended meetings where crucial information about the railway would have been discussed.