Conservatives yesterday called for an urgent review of security across Whitehall after it was revealed that government departments have lost an average of one official computer a week over the past year.
Conservatives yesterday called for an urgent review of security across Whitehall after it was revealed that government departments have lost an average of one official computer a week over the past year.
The losses included 53 laptops or PCs, with the highest numbers going missing from the Department of Health, which lost 14, and Department for Children, Schools and Families, with 13 going missing.
Also lost were 36 Blackberrys, 30 mobile phones, four disc drives and four memory sticks, according to official data gathered by Conservative shadow minister Grant Shapps.
Despite the high security surrounding parliament, 10 chairs went missing from the House of Commons' Portcullis House annexe, Mr Shapps revealed.
He released the details on the anniversary of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's apology last year for the loss of personal details of 25 million families on mislaid computer discs.
Mr Shapps said that the new losses raised worries about potential breaches of the confidentiality of personal health or education records.
He voiced concern that neither the Home Office nor Ministry of Defence had responded to his requests for information.
Mr Shapps said: "Despite losing half the nation's personal information and being forced to apologise for it exactly a year ago today, it seems that Gordon Brown's government remains incapable of keeping our data secure.
"Until ministers can demonstrate that their departments can be trusted with confidential information, the government should place its controversial ID Card scheme on hold.
"With more than one official computer going missing each week, not to mention numerous hard drives and memory sticks, today we're calling on the government to urgently review data security right across Whitehall."
