Tom Watson MP, Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, commenting on the National Audit Office report on Protecting Information across Government, which was published today, said:

“This report shows the Cabinet Office is completely failing to carry out its most basic task of coordinating action across Government departments when it comes to the crucial issue of cyber-security. The NAO found that reporting of personal data breaches is ‘chaotic’ and that departmental comparisons are ‘meaningless’ because of the ad hoc way data is compiled.

“Most damning of all, the report finds: ‘The Cabinet Office does not currently provide a single set of standards for departments to follow, and does not collate or act upon those weaknesses it identifies’.

“Government departments are vulnerable to security breaches. The fact the Cabinet Office has no clear idea how many take place and no accurate data about the potential cost to the public purse is simply astonishing.”

Ends

Notes to editors

Link to NAO report on Protecting Information across Government

https://www.nao.org.uk/report/protecting-information-across-government/