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Mobile phones leak from UK government
And desktops, PDAs and projectors as well...

By Will Sturgeon

Published: Thursday 03 August 2006

A recent Freedom of Information (FoI) enquiry by silicon.com into lost devices within the UK government has revealed how many mobile phones have gone astray in a number of departments, as well as unearthing some more unusual losses.

Although some departments said they do not record the number of mobile phones lost - and the Home Office even told us it would take too many resources to ascertain their losses over the past year, a way to 'opt out' of FoI requests - a number were forthcoming with the information.

HM Prison Service leads the pack with 24 mobile phones lost by staff. At the Department of Trade and Industry the figure was 19, while the Department of Health admitted to losing 11 mobiles and four PDAs.

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At the Ministry of Defence staff have lost 10 mobile phones over the past year.

The response from the Home Office was based on it saying it could not justify the cost of providing the information, using a clause in the FoI Act which states a request can be turned down if it is likely to exceed £600 to meet, based on one individual taking three-and-a-half days to find that information, working at £25 per hour.

That response suggests the systems the Home Office has in place for recording losses of mobile phones are behind those of other departments.

Other findings from the FoI enquiry included some strange inclusions from Defra in a list of missing hardware. The rural affairs department admitted that as well as 17 laptops and one PDA, the department had lost seven projectors and two desktop PCs, which are far from easy items to misplace.

Defra also provided the names and direct telephone numbers for all staff who have reported lost devices and hardware - including a number of very senior employees.