§ Lord Bachasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will set out the threats posed to systems and data, critical to the national infrastructure, by electronic attack. [HL688]
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe Government will be introducing a series of measures to minimise the risk of 129WA electronic attack. This will enhance the United Kingdom's reputation as a safe place to undertake electronic commerce. The present risk should not be exaggerated, but we must take action. The measures include ensuring that within government all critical systems are identified and that the protection of those systems is effectively managed and audited; working with the private sector to develop measures which keep pace with the levels of risk to ensure adequate standards of protection for the key systems falling within the critical national infrastructure; raising awareness and standards of information security more generally in the private sector by pursuing existing initiatives to promote best practice; and developing a dialogue on these issues with international partners.
In view of my right honourable friend the Home Secretary's responsibilities for crime prevention and public protection, he will be taking the lead responsibility within government for this new work. Government departments will ensure that the security of their systems are kept under review and in relevant cases existing initiatives are pursued with the private sector.
Ensuring that our electronic systems are properly protected from electronic attack is a long-term enterprise which will not be at the expense of the immediate challenge we are facing to deal with the millennium bug.