THE HOUSE OF LORDS Science and Technology Committee is to undertake a follow-up inquiry to their August 2007 report Personal Internet Security due to disappointment in the Government’s response to its initial report.

Many of the Committee’s recommendations were rejected, including calls for the introduction of a data breach notification law, increased resources and skills for the police to deal with internet-based crime and the reversal of the requirement that victims of online card fraud report the crime to their banks rather than to the police.

But since publication of the Government’s response, circumstances have changed, says the Lords Committee.

"Following the loss of confidential data by HM Revenue and Customs, the Government has now, in accordance with the Committee’s recommendation, increased the powers of the Information Commissioner to inspect organisations holding sensitive data on members of the public."

The Committee has written to those who gave evidence to its initial inquiry and to those who attended an inquiry seminar to ask for their views on the Government’s response. The Committee aims to publish a follow-up report in early summer.

"The Committee was disappointed with the Government’s response to its report. We felt they had failed to address some of our key concerns about people’s security on the Internet," says Lord Sutherland, Chairman of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee.

"The House of Lords is likely to be debating the report in the summer and to ensure that the debate is as well informed as possible we have decided to seek key stakeholders’ views on the Government’s response." µ