Revenue tops computer misuse tables
The government has revealed that nearly 300 staff were disciplined for misusing its computer systems last year, with the bulk of the cases coming from the Inland Revenue, where 205 staff were disciplined.
Link: Fewer Revenue staff misuse computers
The figure was slightly higher than the total number of cases involving Revenue staff in 2001 (188) but lower than in 2000, when there were 233 cases that lead to disciplinary action.
A Revenue spokeswoman said: ‘We do take a very serious and hard line on members of staff acting improperly.’ She said that some of the computer misuse was minor, such as surfing websites that would be inappropriate in a work setting. But she admitted that two of the incidents had been more serious. The Revenue has 70,000 staff.
HM Customs and Excise investigated 101 cases of potential computer misuse by its staff last year, with disciplinary action being taken in 42 cases.
Customs said 83 of the cases of potential misuse involved email, eight involved internet use, four involved database access and six involved ‘IT systems’.
The Home Office said that last year 77 incidents of computer misuse were investigated, leading to disciplinary action in 74 cases. Of Home Office agencies, the Forensic Science Service investigated 43 incidents, with action being taken in five cases, the Prison Service took action over three cases, and the UK Passport Agency took action in one case.
The Cabinet Office said there had been one case of computer misuse last year, as did the Treasury. The Foreign Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as well as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, all said there were no reported cases of computer misuse last year.