Robinson announces high security computer upgrade for Civil Service
The Finance Minister, Rt Hon Peter Robinson MP, MLA has ordered the purchase of new high security personal computers for the Civil Service.
The move follows a review of data security announced by the Minister last December. The review was triggered following the loss of data that month by HM Revenue & Customs in England relating to millions of families throughout the UK who were in receipt of child benefit.
Announcing the move, Mr Robinson said:
“The purchase will involve 10,000 new high security desktop computers and 4,000 high security laptops for use by civil servants in the course of their duties. The roll-out of the new equipment is expected to begin within the next six to eight weeks and will take around 12 months to complete.
“The Executive does not take the issue of data security lightly. That is why I ordered an immediate review of our data protection systems last December following the HMRC incident.
“Government has saved a total of £3million in making this purchase now. The equipment that is being replaced would have been due for upgrade within the next two years.”
The total package is expected to cost in the region of £6million.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- Following the Data Protection Review, which was endorsed by the Northern Ireland Executive in March, the continuing procurement by the Civil Service has been used as the vehicle to improve the level of data security across the Northern Ireland Departments.
- The dual procurement competitions involved the purchase of 10,000 desktop computers and around 4,000 laptops.
- Both contracts were won by BT and the equipment supplied is manufactured by Hewlett-Packard Ltd.
- The laptops, which represent the biggest risk to data security, will be configured with the Microsoft Vista operating system and the BitLocker encryption product. There is no added cost to the encryption software as it forms part of the Northern Ireland Civil Service/Microsoft Agreement.
- The software encryption products meet the latest Government guidelines for the protection of personal data.
- Following a procurement process, the Northern Ireland public sector bodies will be offered a secure document transfer service that also conforms to the Government’s security guidelines.
- Media enquiries only to DFP Communications Office on 028 9052 7374 or 028 9052 7375. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
