HC Deb 25 January 1999 vol 324 cc74-5W
Mr. Miller

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the threats posed to systems and data, critical to the national infrastructure, by electronic attack. [67441]

Mr. Straw

The Government will be introducing a series of measures to minimise the risk of 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 includeensuring 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 responsibilities for crime prevention and public protection, I will be taking lead responsibility within government for this new work. Government Departments will ensure that the security of their systems is 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 longer-term enterprise which will not be at the expense of the immediate challenge we are facing to deal with the Millennium Bug.