Whitehall departments lost 50 laptops and phones every WEEK and more than 8,000 devices went missing in just five years, shocking new data shows
MPs are demanding an investigation into the worrying increase in missing Whitehall equipment
In just five years, more than 8,000 laptops and phones have been lost
The Ministry of Defense were the biggest culprits, followed by the Ministry of Justice
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Whitehall departments lost 50 laptops and phones a week last year, according to shocking figures.
MPs have demanded an urgent investigation into a worrying increase in the number of electronic devices that have been lost or stolen from government departments.
According to official figures, more than 8,000 laptops and phones containing sensitive and secret information have disappeared in the past five years.
The Department of Defense topped the list, with 931 recorded as lost or stolen at the time, with the Department of Justice just behind at 723.
Whitehall departments lost 50 laptops and phones a week last year, according to shocking figures
Since 2018, the government has lost the 3,268 laptops given to staff for work.
The number of missing people has almost doubled each year between 2021 and 2022, with a total of 559 missing at the end of 2021, rising to 912 in 2022.
As of 2018, 5,217 cell phones given to government employees have been lost or stolen, including 1,555 in 2022.
The Justice Department had the most missing phones in the past five years with 961, followed by the Interior Department with 855 and the State Department with 696.
Since 2018, the government has lost the 3,268 laptops given to staff for work. [File image]
An investigation was announced last year after a senior Defense official left a stack of papers, including classified files, at a bus stop in Kent.
The Liberal Democrats, asking for the numbers, demanded an investigation yesterday to determine how many electronic devices have gone missing and whether there have been any security breaches as a direct result.
Lib Dem Treasury spokeswoman Sarah Olney said: “The sheer number of missing phones and laptops paints an alarming picture of carelessness within our government.
“It’s frankly terrifying to think what kind of sensitive information could be kept on these devices.
“If one of these lost or stolen phones or laptops falls into the wrong hands, it could pose a serious threat to our national and personal security. Ministers must start an official investigation as soon as possible.’
A government spokesman said: “We take the security of government devices very seriously, which is why devices such as laptops and mobile phones are always encrypted so that any loss does not compromise security.”