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Internet: Security

Volume 708: debated on Thursday 5 March 2009

Question

Asked by

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to secure an acceleration in the growth of public key cryptography to enhance security in United Kingdom internet commerce. [HL1673]

The Government believe that the choice of security technologies is a matter for the companies concerned. Advice made available to those companies has emphasised the importance of good risk management and the selection of appropriate controls. Clearly, cryptography has an important role to play and public key cryptography has an increasing role to play in the authentication of parties in high value transactions.

The Government have passed legislation that enables the use of these technologies. The Electronic Communications Act of 2000 is part of the legislative framework, along with the Electronic Signatures Regulations and the E-Commerce Regulations (both 2002), intended to support electronic communications and transactions.

The Act led to the creation of tScheme (www.tScheme.org.uk) which is the independent, industry-led, self-regulatory scheme set up to create strict assessment criteria, against which it will approve trust services. BERR actively participates in the work of tScheme, particularly its efforts to promote wider take up.