§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they respond to the research carried out by the ELSPA (European Leisure Software Publishers' Association) Crime Unit indicating that 80 per cent. of software counterfeiters are associated with organised crime and drug pushing; and what plans they have to address this problem. [HL23]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam of Brighton)The threat posed to the United Kingdom by organised crime is assessed each year by the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS). NCIS' threat assessment for 2000 recognises that the impact of intellectual property 37WA theft, such as software counterfeiting, is high. The police service and other law enforcement organisations take this assessment into account in deciding how best to deploy their resources.
§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
In the light of the recent discovery that police forces throughout the United Kingdom have purchased and installed counterfeit Microsoft software, whether they have any plans to review their information technology procurement strategy. [HL63]
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonThe Government deplore the use of unlicensed software and in July 1999 issued guidance to Public Sector Organisations reinforcing the code of conduct endorsed by FAST (Federation Against Software Theft). Standard government conditions of contract for the purchase of computer software seek to ensure that all software procured and used by government is correctly licensed.
The Government and the Association of Chief Police Officers are working with industry representatives to examine ways of continuing to strengthen enforcement practice and existing guidance.
There are no plans to review government information technology procurement strategy.
§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many police computer systems are fitted with imitation software. [HL64]
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonIn the light of the discovery that systems supplied by a particular firm were loaded with counterfeit Microsoft software, the Association of Chief Police Officers is conducting an audit of software in use in a sample of police forces. This will provide some indication of whether the problem is confined to those particular systems or is more widespread. The findings will be available in the New Year.