Written question asked by Grant Shapps (Conservative) on Wednesday, 25 November 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 30 November 2009. It was answered by Sarah McCarthy-Fry (Labour) on Wednesday, 2 December 2009 on behalf of the Treasury.

Departmental Lost Property

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) laptop computers, (b) mobile telephones, (c) items of office furniture and (d) works of art have been (i) lost by and (ii) stolen from his Department in each of the last three year; whether his Department has made an insurance claim on each such item; and what the estimated value of each such item was.

Answer: In respect of the numbers of (a) laptop computers and (b) mobile telephones lost by and stolen from his Department, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member Putney (Justine Greening) on 12 October 2009, Official Report, column 250W.No (c) items of office furniture and (d) works of art have been lost by, or stolen from, the Department in the last three years.In accordance with value for money guidance to all central government organisations, HM Treasury does not take out commercial insurance against these risk.The estimated value of each laptop is £600 and of each mobile telephone is £50.

Secondary information