Departmental Internet
Judy Mallaber MP: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms he plans to put in place to monitor and ensure compliance with the requirement that any electronic service provider tendering for Government contracts should deploy the list compiled by the Internet Watch Foundation in order to block access to websites known to host images of child sex abuse. [324130]
Rt Hon David Hanson MP, Minister of State [holding answer 25 March 2010]: The Home Department's Commercial Directorate has worked with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) to change the conditions under which contracts for internet services to Government Departments or Government Agencies were offered.
OGC has recently issued procurement policy which requires all procurement specifications for the provision of internet related services to include a requirement that the service provider must block access to those sites specified on the Internet Watch Foundation's (IWF) list.
The policy will be circulated to the Home Department's procurement community to promote this policy.
The main Home Department contract for IT services uses the IWF list to restrict access to the sites in question. As part of our contract management procedures this will continue to be monitored during the lifetime of the contract.
As part of our commercial best practice we will monitor all procurement specifications for the provision of internet related services to ensure compliance with this requirement.
Judy Mallaber MP: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department's contract with Cable and Wireless for the provision of internet services expires; when he expects the tendering process for its replacement to begin; and what discussions he plans to have with (a) Cable and Wireless and (b) subsequent providers on access to sites identified with child abuse. [324269]
Rt Hon David Hanson MP, Minister of State [holding answer 25 March 2010]: The Home Office currently has the ability to access the internet via its service contract with Cable and Wireless under the Government Secure Intranet (GSi) framework via Buying Solutions. This framework expires in August 2011 with individual service contracts expiring no later than February 2012.
It should be noted that the GSi is not the only or exclusive method by which the Home Office, or indeed any Government Department, can gain access to the internet.
The tendering process for the replacement framework is already under way, beginning in December 2009 and targeted for delivery spring 2011.
The replacement frameworks will require internet service providers to offer filtering facilities to block access to specific sites.
We have been working with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) to change the conditions under which contracts for internet services to Government or Government agencies were offered. It is now a requirement that all suppliers block access to those sites specified on the IWF's list. This will apply to all new contracts offered for supply of these services, and we would strongly urge all suppliers, or those wishing to become suppliers, to ensure that they take the IWF list.
Source: Hansard 30 March 2010: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100330/text/100330w0021.htm#10033085000009
