New MoD Data Loss Disclosure
Over 100 USB memory sticks - a number of which contained secret data - have either gone missing or been stolen from the MoD over the past four years, it emerged on July 18th.
The information was obtained by a member of the Liberal Democrats Party, MP Sarah Teather, who referred to the situation as indicative of "shocking incompetence" on the government's part.
Data Protection
A spokesman for the ministry commented that full investigations took place into any incidents involving data loss, adding that measures were being implemented to better data protection.
"It seems that this government simply cannot be trusted with keeping sensitive information safe", Ms Teather stated, adding: "This shows a shocking degree of incompetence across the entire government."
The disclosure represents the most recent one in a series of instances in which data loss has figured.
At the end of 2007, personal information relating to 25 million individuals was lost by officials at Revenue and Customs.
MoD Laptop Theft
At the beginning of this year, meanwhile, the MoD disclosed that a laptop had been taken from a parked vehicle - this laptop containing data appertaining to 600,000 serving British military personnel, as well as to applicants intending joining either the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy or Royal Marines.
An MoD spokesman stated: "A recent report on data losses by Sir Edmund Burton found that MoD policies and procedures are generally fit for purpose, but also identified a number of areas where MoD needs to do better in protecting personal data.
"The MoD has developed, and is now working through an action plan to address all of the report's recommendations and bring the department's handling of personal data to an acceptable state."
Source - Armed Forces International's Political Correspondent
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