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| Police probe theft of MoD laptop | Police probe theft of MoD laptop |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Police are investigating the theft of a laptop from a Royal Navy officer which had held the personal details of 600,000 people. | Police are investigating the theft of a laptop from a Royal Navy officer which had held the personal details of 600,000 people. |
| Police said the laptop was taken from a vehicle which had been parked in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham. | Police said the laptop was taken from a vehicle which had been parked in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham. |
| It contains data including passport numbers, National Insurance numbers and bank details. | It contains data including passport numbers, National Insurance numbers and bank details. |
| They relate to people who had expressed an interest in, or joined, the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the RAF. | They relate to people who had expressed an interest in, or joined, the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the RAF. |
| Separately, hundreds of documents containing sensitive personal data have been found dumped on a roundabout in Devon. | Separately, hundreds of documents containing sensitive personal data have been found dumped on a roundabout in Devon. |
| Details of benefit claims, passport photocopies and mortgage payments were included in the confidential data found near Exeter Airport. | Details of benefit claims, passport photocopies and mortgage payments were included in the confidential data found near Exeter Airport. |
| The idea that someone could have the computer with the information unencrypted, it is on a par with the HMRC loss Simon Davies, Privacy International | The idea that someone could have the computer with the information unencrypted, it is on a par with the HMRC loss Simon Davies, Privacy International |
| Last November, it emerged that 25m child benefit records had been lost after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) sent two unregistered and unencrypted discs to the National Audit Office. | Last November, it emerged that 25m child benefit records had been lost after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) sent two unregistered and unencrypted discs to the National Audit Office. |
| The MoD said it was treating this latest theft with the "utmost seriousness". | The MoD said it was treating this latest theft with the "utmost seriousness". |
| The police said they received a report that the laptop had been stolen from a car parked in Edgbaston on 10 January. | The police said they received a report that the laptop had been stolen from a car parked in Edgbaston on 10 January. |
| "The information held is not the same for every individual," the MoD said. | "The information held is not the same for every individual," the MoD said. |
| "In some cases, for casual enquiries, the record is no more than a name. | "In some cases, for casual enquiries, the record is no more than a name. |
| "But for those who progressed as far as submitting an application to join the Forces, extensive personal data may be held, including passport details, National Insurance numbers, drivers' licence details, family details, doctors' addresses and National Health Service numbers." | "But for those who progressed as far as submitting an application to join the Forces, extensive personal data may be held, including passport details, National Insurance numbers, drivers' licence details, family details, doctors' addresses and National Health Service numbers." |
| The MoD said it was writing to 3,500 people whose bank details were on the laptop's database. | The MoD said it was writing to 3,500 people whose bank details were on the laptop's database. |
| It said it was working with the Association for Payment Clearing Services to inform the relevant banks and ensure that accounts affected are "flagged for scrutiny against unauthorised access". | It said it was working with the Association for Payment Clearing Services to inform the relevant banks and ensure that accounts affected are "flagged for scrutiny against unauthorised access". |
| It's just been too easy for data to go missing recently Liam FoxShadow defence secretary | It's just been too easy for data to go missing recently Liam FoxShadow defence secretary |
| Simon Davies, from pressure group Privacy International, told BBC News 24 he was "flabbergasted". | Simon Davies, from pressure group Privacy International, told BBC News 24 he was "flabbergasted". |
| "I cannot believe that our flagship security agency cannot get this right," Mr Davies said. | "I cannot believe that our flagship security agency cannot get this right," Mr Davies said. |
| "The idea that someone could have the computer with the information unencrypted - it is on a par with the HMRC loss." | "The idea that someone could have the computer with the information unencrypted - it is on a par with the HMRC loss." |
| 'Quite concerning' | 'Quite concerning' |
| Mr Davies said the theft was "reminiscent of so many data breaches". | Mr Davies said the theft was "reminiscent of so many data breaches". |
| "There are so many procedures and no-one knows which procedure is in place," he said. | "There are so many procedures and no-one knows which procedure is in place," he said. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYThe first thing they should do is stop putting the data onto laptopsLlew G, NewburySend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYThe first thing they should do is stop putting the data onto laptopsLlew G, NewburySend us your comments |
| Information Commissioner Richard Thomas said the incident was "a stark illustration of the potency of personal information in a database world". | Information Commissioner Richard Thomas said the incident was "a stark illustration of the potency of personal information in a database world". |
| "We will require satisfactory answers from the MoD about their data protection practices and a firm assurance that steps have been taken to improve these practices before deciding on the appropriate action to take," he said. | "We will require satisfactory answers from the MoD about their data protection practices and a firm assurance that steps have been taken to improve these practices before deciding on the appropriate action to take," he said. |
| Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox told BBC News 24 that the theft was "clearly quite concerning". | Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox told BBC News 24 that the theft was "clearly quite concerning". |
| "I think that the police will be wanting to check in the first instance that there is no real risk of security lapses," he said. | "I think that the police will be wanting to check in the first instance that there is no real risk of security lapses," he said. |
| You cannot trust any system you invent to store this much data in one place Nick HarveyLib Dem defence spokesman | You cannot trust any system you invent to store this much data in one place Nick HarveyLib Dem defence spokesman |
| "It's just been too easy for data to go missing recently and we need to look at how to protect the details of the public." | "It's just been too easy for data to go missing recently and we need to look at how to protect the details of the public." |
| He said he had spoken to Defence Secretary Des Browne and agreed that the matter would be discussed in the House of Commons next week. | He said he had spoken to Defence Secretary Des Browne and agreed that the matter would be discussed in the House of Commons next week. |
| Nick Harvey, Lib Dem defence spokesman, said the incident was further proof of the dangers of a national ID card system. | Nick Harvey, Lib Dem defence spokesman, said the incident was further proof of the dangers of a national ID card system. |
| "If anybody is entertaining lingering support for the idea... surely this would worry anybody into realising that you cannot trust any system you invent to store this much data in one place," Mr Harvey said. | "If anybody is entertaining lingering support for the idea... surely this would worry anybody into realising that you cannot trust any system you invent to store this much data in one place," Mr Harvey said. |
| Douglas Young, of the British Armed Forces Federation, said: "It really is very, very worrying and I'm deeply concerned to hear this. | Douglas Young, of the British Armed Forces Federation, said: "It really is very, very worrying and I'm deeply concerned to hear this. |
| "There must be a top level investigation." | "There must be a top level investigation." |
| More information and advice can be obtained by emailing recruitdata@check.mod.uk from 1000 GMT on Saturday 19 January. | More information and advice can be obtained by emailing recruitdata@check.mod.uk from 1000 GMT on Saturday 19 January. |
| Anyone with information should contact West Midlands Police on 0845 113 5000. | Anyone with information should contact West Midlands Police on 0845 113 5000. |
| Are you concerned that the data involved could be yours? How does this make you feel about private application data security? | |