UK - Parliamentary inquiry into Internet security

Lords inquiry looks again at internet security
see also House of Lords Science and Technology Committee

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has announced a follow-up inquiry to its Personal Internet Security report.

It said it has taken the measure because of its disappointment in the government's response to the report, which was released in August 2007.

The government rejected many of the committee's recommendations. These included calls for a data-breach notification law, increased resources 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 the police.

It added that circumstances have changed since publication of the government's response in October. For example, the government has 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, and will hold a public evidence session with government officials. It will not issue a general call for evidence, but aims to publish a short follow-up report in early summer.

Chair of the committee Lord Sutherland 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."