§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many security passes have been reported(a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in (i) his Department and (ii) departmental agencies in the last 12 months. [147978]
§ Mr. CaplinBetween 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2003, personnel employed at MOD establishments reported 2,012 passes lost and 90 stolen. During the same period, personnel employed at establishments of MOD agencies reported 882 passes lost and 23 stolen. The passes carry a photograph of the holder and have other features that inhibit their fraudulent replication. Therefore, the loss of such passes, in isolation, is not assessed to pose an increased threat, although this is kept under constant review.