To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department have (a) received official warnings and (b) faced disciplinary procedures following breaches of IT policy in each year since 1997.

Information is not collected on the number of DWP staff who have received official warnings following breaches of IT policy.

Information on DWP staff who have faced disciplinary procedures following breaches of IT policy is available from July 2003. The information is in the table.

All DWP staff are subject to the Department's Standards of Behaviour statement which is based on the Civil Service Code.

The Department's Electronic Media policy sets out the conditions for the official and personal use of the Department for Work and Pensions' Information Technology (IT) and covers intranet, internet, email, work PC and laptop.

Both the Department's Standards of Behaviour and Electronic Media policy are available and publicised on the DWP intranet site.

All forms of misconduct are dealt with under the Departments disciplinary policy and procedures. The Department's disciplinary policy includes, under gross misconduct:

misuse of the internet, intranet or email, including accessing, storing or sending material that is illegal, obscene, pornographic, incites violence or reflects/promotes hatred.

If anyone in the Department is charged with or convicted of a criminal offence they are required to inform their manager straight away.

When an offence comes to light consideration is given to establish whether restriction of duties, transfer or suspension from duty is appropriate and what disciplinary action is required. Failure to report a criminal caution can of itself be treated as a disciplinary offence.