Data loss, missing laptops, discs and memory sticks (Fylde Liberal Democrats)

Fylde Liberal Democrats <info@fyldelibdems.org.uk>

Data loss, missing laptops, discs and memory sticks

September 22, 2008 11:27 AM

Memory sticks containing vital personal information A day doesn't seem to go by without yet another Government Department or major organisation reports a 'loss of data'. After the fiasco of the CSA's lost discs last year and followed by the loss of a memory stick with prisoners' information stored on it, its now the turn of NHS staff to have their details 'misplaced' after discs have 'gone missing' in north London. Its no wonder that the Liberal Democrats think the ID Card proposals of this Government are doomed to failure because no one can protect and keep personal information safe and secure.

The fastest growing types of fraud are information theft (27 percent; up from 22 percent last year) This latest loss of personal information should convince us all that a national database on which our IDs will be stored is a 'no brainer'. Just where could our details end up ? How can we be reassured that our identities are safe and secure when at ever turn computer equipment is lost and or mislaid ?

Vital information kept on lost laptops Laptops by the score go missing even from secure Govt. offices. About 12,000 laptops are lost in US airports each week yet it is the United States who demand even more information about each of us before we can even visit their country.

All this comes on top of massive delays and cost overruns in the NHS computerisation programme and other big IT contract failures that give us no confidence in any of the government-backed IT systems.