Lords disappointed in government personal internet security
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has today announced that they will undertake a short follow-up inquiry to their August 2007 report Personal Internet Security
The Committee has decided to undertake the follow-up inquiry because of its disappointment in the Government's response to its initial report.
The Government's response was published in October 2007. Many of the Committee's recommendations were rejected, including calls for the introduction of a data breach notification law, increased resources and skills for the police to deal with internet-based crime and the reversal of the requirement that victims of online card fraud report the crime to their banks rather than to the police.
Since publication of the Government's response, circumstances have changed. Following the loss of confidential data by HM Revenue and Customs, for example, the Government have now, in accordance with the Committee's recommendation, increased the powers of the Information Commissioner to inspect organisations holding sensitive data on members of the public.
The Committee has written to those who gave oral evidence to its initial inquiry and to those who attended an inquiry seminar to ask for their views on the Government's response. It will not be publishing a general Call for Evidence. The Committee aims to publish a short follow-up report in early summer.
Commenting Lord Sutherland, Chairman of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, said: "The Committee was disappointed with the Government's response to its report. We felt they had failed to address some of our key concerns about people's security on the internet.
"The House of Lords is likely to be debating the report in the summer and to ensure that the debate is as well informed as possible we have decided to seek key stakeholders' views on the Government's response.
"We have written to witnesses who gave oral evidence to the original inquiry and to those who attended an inquiry seminar. We will also be holding a public evidence session with Government officials before publishing our follow-up report early in the summer."
