To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what auditing his Department undertakes to ensure that IT security policies are being followed; and on how many occasions (a) IT security policies have been breached by employees and (b) a member of staff has been sanctioned for a breach of such policies in the last 12 months. (259722)

Compliance arrangements comprise a system of self-assessment, accreditation, assurance reporting, audit and review. The Department undertakes a variety of audit activity and takes action when it is clear that its IT security policies need to be updated. However, for security reasons, it would not be appropriate to provide details of the audit functions undertaken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s IT security hierarchy. (259723)

It is not in the interest of the security of the Department, or that of the public, to place in the Library a copy of detailed information pertaining to the security of the Department’s IT systems. Disclosing such information could assist criminals and those who would attempt to cause disruptive threats to the Department.