HC Deb 28 January 2003 vol 398 cc776-7W
Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many cases of computer misuse there were in his Department in each of the last five years, broken down by each category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action. [93044]

Mr. Charles Clarke

The numbers of computer misuse incidents within the Department for Education and Skills is as follows.

Year Number of cases Type of Misuse Action
1998 10 Serious inappropriate internet access Disciplinary Action
2 Serious Email abuse Disciplinary Action
1999 45 Serious inappropriate internet action Disciplinary Action
6 Inappropriate internet access Informal Warning
2000 42 Serious inappropriate access Disciplinary Action
14 Inappropriate internet access Informal Action
2001 14 Serious inappropriate internet access Disciplinary Action
84 Serious inappropriate internet action Informal Warning
2002 8 Serious inappropriate internet access Disciplinary Action
38 Inappropriate internet access Informal Warning

The Department for Education and Skills allows personal use of the Internet and email outside normal hours. Staff are warned that internet accesses may be monitored and misuse may lead to disciplinary action. Staff are reminded of the policy each time they log on to the Department network and must accept the policy before log in can be completed.