Whitehall lockdown as MoD admits more missing laptops

Two more Ministry of Defence recruitment laptops have gone missing over the past few years, prompting government offices to order all portable computers be kept in the office.

Secretary of Defence Des Browne yesterday told parliament that the MoD had clear policies and encryption software on laptops - but such procedures were not followed in the case of the most recently missing laptop. "This was a breach of security regulation," he said.

But he also said two laptops with navy and army recruiting information lost in October 2006 and December 2005 were also likely not encrypted. The former device contained information similar to the one most recently stolen, while the later contained 500 army-related records. Ministers were not alerted to those missing devices until recently, but the MoD is now contacting anyone who might have been affected.

Browne also detailed numbers of other missing laptops from the department. Last year, the MoD lost 68 laptops to theft. In 2006, 66 went missing; in 2005, 40 disappeared; and in 2004, 173 devices were lost. Conservative Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox asked: "What on earth is going on... why has nothing been done about this?"

Browne said that the MoD has clear policies regarding data protection, and that laptops were supposed to be encrypted and taken through a security process.

In response to the missing laptop, Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell sent around an email to top civil officials last night, ordering them to tell their staff not to take from their office any devices containing personal data, unless they had been encrypted. "From now on, no unencrypted laptops or drives containing personal data should be taken outside secured office premises," he said.

He added: "Please ensure that this is communicated throughout your organisation and delivery bodies and implemented immediately, and that steps are taken to monitor compliance."

Aside from the news about more missing laptops, Browne announced a full investigation, and himself questioned why a such a large database was necessary to be brought into the field.

Other MPs again called into question whether the government should go ahead with identity card plans, in wake of yet another data protection scandal.

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