HL Deb 23 March 1994 vol 553 cc27-8WA
Lord Gainford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their policy on the security of government information and other assets.

The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Wakeham)

In recent years, the nature of the threats to government security has changed. While some of the traditional threats to national security may have somewhat reduced, others have not. The security of government is also increasingly threatened by, for example, theft, copying and electronic surveillance, as well as by terrorism.

To ensure that its approach to security reflects current threats, the Government have recently completed a review of this arrangement for the management of protective security in departments and agencies. This has recommended a new protective marking system for documents which will help indentify more precisely those which need protecting, enabling them to be protected more effectively according to their value. The new system will also be more closely related to the Code of Practice on Government Information announced in the Government's White Paper on Openness.

In addition, the review has concluded that existing security measures should be examined closely to ensure they are necessary in relation to today's threats; that commercially available security equipment should be more widely used; and that personnel vetting enquiries should be streamlined, particularly in routine cases. Overall, the aim is to give departments and agencies, and management units within them, greater responsibility for assessing the nature of the risks they face and for making decisions, within a framework of common standards of protection, about the security measures they need to put in place. Substantial cost savings will result.

The first stage of the implementation of the proposals of this review will be the introduction of a new protective marking system with effect from 4 April 1994 alongside the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The new definitions, which will allow fewer government documents to be classified, particularly at the higher levels, are set out below. The other elements of the new approach to protective security will be put in place in due course.