To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what procedures his Department has put in place to ensure that laptop computers on loan from his Department to civil servants in other Government Departments are accounted for; and who is responsible for their replacement if they are lost. (246307)

The Cabinet Office operates appropriate controls to ensure the security, integrity and availability of data and IT equipment assets, and provides comprehensive IT security advice and guidance, including in exceptional circumstances where computers and laptops are loaned from my Department to civil servants in other Government Departments.

Should an IT asset be misplaced or lost, the incident will be recorded in the departmental theft/losses register and where appropriate, a replacement will be obtained. The Cabinet Office may be responsible for purchasing replacement items; however, individual evaluations will be made in each case.