To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many breaches of security have been reported at (a) Animal Health, (b) the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, (c) the Central Science Laboratory, (d) the Government Decontamination Service, (e) the Marine and Fisheries Agency, (f) the Rural Payments Agency, (g) the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and (h) the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in the last five years; and what procedures each agency follows when a breach of security involves the disclosure of personal data. (276956)

In the last five years, the DEFRA agencies listed have reported a total of 104 separate breaches related to losses of electronic equipment and security passes. They did not involve the loss of any personal or protectively marked data.

My Department and its Executive agencies are required to report all significant personal data security breaches to the Cabinet Office and the ICO. Information on personal data security breaches is published on an annual basis in the Department's annual resource accounts as was announced in the Data Handling Review published on 25 June 2008.

Additionally, all significant control weaknesses including other significant security breaches are included in the Statement of Internal Control which is published within the annual resource accounts.