The Ministry of Defence has revealed that 121 of its USB memory
sticks have been either lost or stolen since 2004.
Some of the memory sticks contained secret information, admitted
the MoD. The MoD said it does not know when, where and how the
memory sticks were lost.
The MoD has also revealed that more than 650 laptops have been
stolen over the last four years, which is nearly double the figure
previously thought.
Previously, the MoD had confirmed that 347 laptops had been
stolen between 2004 and 2007.
Defence secretary Des Browne issued the revised laptop figures
after
"anomalies in the reporting process" were discovered.
The official total is now 658 laptops stolen, with a further 89
lost. He said 32 have been recovered.
The information on the lost or stolen memory sticks was received
after a parliamentary question tabled by Liberal Democrat MP Sarah
Teather.
It was disclosed that three of the memory sticks contained
"secret" information and 19 carried "restricted" information.
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