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Security Breaches

Volume 470: debated on Monday 7 January 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many confirmed data security breaches there have been in his Department in the last 36 months; and what action was taken after each occurrence. (170248)

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments’ procedures will be made on completion of the review. An interim progress report on the review was published by the Cabinet Office through a written ministerial statement on 17 December 2007, Official Report, column 98WS.

A small number of incidents involving breach of our data security controls have been reported and investigated. Three of these have been reported to the Information Commissioner as potential breaches.

Except in exceptional cases, when it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on particular breaches of security.