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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Browne faces MPs over lost laptop | Browne faces MPs over lost laptop |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Defence Secretary Des Browne is set to make a statement to MPs on the theft of military laptop containing the personal details of 600,000 people. | Defence Secretary Des Browne is set to make a statement to MPs on the theft of military laptop containing the personal details of 600,000 people. |
| Information Commissioner Richard Thomas said it was "a very disturbing incident" and asked why such sensitive data was allowed out of the office. | Information Commissioner Richard Thomas said it was "a very disturbing incident" and asked why such sensitive data was allowed out of the office. |
| The data includes passport and National Insurance numbers and bank details. | The data includes passport and National Insurance numbers and bank details. |
| They relate to people who had expressed an interest in, or joined, the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the RAF. | They relate to people who had expressed an interest in, or joined, the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the RAF. |
| Mr Thomas said the Ministry of Defence laptop incident was "a stark illustration of the potency of personal information in a database world". | Mr Thomas said the Ministry of Defence laptop incident was "a stark illustration of the potency of personal information in a database world". |
| Power of technology | Power of technology |
| He said he hoped Mr Browne, due to address MPs after 1600 GMT, would announce a full investigation into the loss. | |
| "It needs to have a wide remit," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | |
| "Why is so much information being collected and held in the first place? | "Why is so much information being collected and held in the first place? |
| "Why is it allowed out of the office on a laptop? We need to have a full review of other incidents involving laptops." | "Why is it allowed out of the office on a laptop? We need to have a full review of other incidents involving laptops." |
| He said government departments needed to carry out "privacy impact assessments" of the sensitivity of the data they are holding. | He said government departments needed to carry out "privacy impact assessments" of the sensitivity of the data they are holding. |
| "I don't think people across the public sector have fully woken up to the power of technology." | "I don't think people across the public sector have fully woken up to the power of technology." |
| The laptop was taken from a Royal Navy recruitment officer's car parked in Edgbaston, Birmingham, on 9 January. | The laptop was taken from a Royal Navy recruitment officer's car parked in Edgbaston, Birmingham, on 9 January. |
| Family details | Family details |
| But the theft was only disclosed on Friday night by the MoD after details began to leak out. | But the theft was only disclosed on Friday night by the MoD after details began to leak out. |
| The MoD said it was treating the theft with the "utmost seriousness". | The MoD said it was treating the theft with the "utmost seriousness". |
| Entries on the computer also included drivers' licence details, family details and doctors' addresses, the MoD said. | Entries on the computer also included drivers' licence details, family details and doctors' addresses, the MoD said. |
| The missing laptop is a black COMPAQ Evo N600c with a 1.5in silver line running top to bottom, right of centre, and with the words COMPAQ in red ink. | The missing laptop is a black COMPAQ Evo N600c with a 1.5in silver line running top to bottom, right of centre, and with the words COMPAQ in red ink. |
| It also has a fixed mouse area with a blue rubber cursor button between keys. | It also has a fixed mouse area with a blue rubber cursor button between keys. |
| Child benefit records | Child benefit records |
| The black left rubber foot on the underside of the laptop is possibly missing and one of the catches on the lid is possibly broken. | The black left rubber foot on the underside of the laptop is possibly missing and one of the catches on the lid is possibly broken. |
| According to police, the laptop was stored in a black fabric case when it was taken, and it went missing along with a silver Nokia 6030 mobile phone. | According to police, the laptop was stored in a black fabric case when it was taken, and it went missing along with a silver Nokia 6030 mobile phone. |
| Separately, hundreds of documents containing sensitive personal data have been found dumped on a roundabout in Devon. | Separately, hundreds of documents containing sensitive personal data have been found dumped on a roundabout in Devon. |
| Details of benefit claims, passport photocopies and mortgage payments were included in the confidential data found near Exeter Airport. | Details of benefit claims, passport photocopies and mortgage payments were included in the confidential data found near Exeter Airport. |
| Last November, it emerged that 25m child benefit records had been lost after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) sent two unregistered and unencrypted discs to the National Audit Office. | Last November, it emerged that 25m child benefit records had been lost after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) sent two unregistered and unencrypted discs to the National Audit Office. |