MP’s ‘starter kit’ containing laptop went missing from Commons’ cloakroom

Police were called after a new MP’s laptop and iPad went missing from a cloakroom at the House of Commons, newly released information shows.

The devices have not been recovered since they went missing in suspicious circumstances along with a kit bag on July 7 last year, according to an incident report obtained by Metro. 

The loss was among almost 70 incidents of parliamentary-supplied IT equipment for MPs and staff being lost or stolen over the course of 2024. 

Some of the incidents took place in public places such as pubs and trains while others occurred on the parliamentary estate itself.  

The disclosure comes at a time of heightened concern about Russian and Chinese espionage on UK soil and the targeting of parliament in particular. 

At the weekend, it emerged that park benches and pubs in Westminster have apparently been identified as targets by Beijing.

Politicians and parliamentary researchers have reportedly been warned by security sources that seemingly harmless places to sit could be bugged, so they should be careful of what they chat about. 

While there is no information given about any suspects or follow-up investigation relating to the ‘new MP’s starter kit’ the loss of such hardware has been identified as a serious concern by security experts.

The hardware is ambiguously marked as ‘lost/stolen’ in the log released by the Commons after a Freedom of Information Act request.  

Professor Anthony Glees, a security and intelligence expert at the University of Buckingham, said: ‘One thing’s for sure, MI5 will be hopping mad at this insult to national security.

‘Their owners can be blackmailed but if our enemies and adversaries, such as the Russians and Chinese, get hold of the devices we are all endangered. What makes it worse is that we’re dealing with lawmakers, likely privy to the secrets of government.

‘Everyone with half a brain knows that we are now in a pre-war situation and it’s time our lawmakers behaved accordingly.’ 

The cloakroom is next to the members’ entrance in New Palace Yard, with MPs allocated their own peg and an attendant normally available during the working day, according to the Members’ Handbook.  

The MP informed parliamentary security, the IT service desk and the police, the incident log shows.  

The entry reads: ‘[REDACTED] MP contacted [REDACTED] Digital Support Desk to report that [REDACTED] new MP starter kit had been taken from  [REDACTED] House of Common Members Cloakroom.’

The full list of missing digital devices includes IT kit stolen from locations including pubs and trains.

Hardware such as iPads, phones and laptops also went missing or was snatched from homes, other forms of transport, including at an airport, and on the parliamentary estate.

In several instances, thieves stole devices likely containing, or providing access to, sensitive information used for parliamentary business.    

In one incident, a laptop went missing from a bag supposedly being looked after by a friend of an MP’s staffer as they dined in a restaurant. 

The person was advised by the House of Commons’ service desk to contact the police after the incident on February 20.  

Devices supplied by parliament to passholders are encrypted, according to the Commons’ Information Compliance Team.      

A UK parliament spokesperson said: ‘We provide advice to users – including members of both Houses – to make them aware of the risks and how to manage their equipment safety.

‘However, we do not comment on specific details of our cyber or physical security controls, policies or incidents.’ 

Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact josh.layton@metro.co.uk

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