Congress to make MPs pay for damged or lost iPads

 

Around 20 iPads have been 'misplaced' since being handed out to MPs at the start of the current administration last year. Too many, according to Congress, which is now telling deputies the devices will not be replaced.

The IT department is only considering paying for the repairs on around 10 damaged tablets belonging to deputies, justifing the measure on grounds of "austerity" and "responsibility".

The final decision will be taken by the Congress standing committee next week.

When the new administration took office a series of technological tools was handed out to its 350 deputies to help improve their work. Among these were latest generation smartphones, ADSL internet connections in their homes and an iPad. which fulfilled all the functions of the laptop that they had received until then.

Congressional speaker Jesús Posada told the press how the figure of between 15 and 20 iPads lost or stolen since then was "a little bit too high".

Posada also clarified that Congress would pay only once to repair a broken iPad. The cost of fixing a 2nd breakage would have to be covered by deputies themselves.

The IT department is also studying the option of protecting its devices by activating Apple's included "Find My iPad" service - which allows the owner of a missing device to locate it on a map and block or delete its contents - or with a password.

The PSOE spokeswomen in Congress, Soraya Rodríguez, supported the move, underlining that deputies were responsible for looking after the devices until the end of their term of office.

Congress standing committee member and Partido Popular deputy Santiago Cervera said no unlawful use or unauthorized access into the missing iPads had been registered.

One of the parliamentarians keenest to open Congress up to new technologies, Cervera defended the handing out of the tablets to deputies. "Any company that manages information equips its employees with similar equipment," he said. "I know there are those who say these ought to be paid for by the deputies themselves. I do not agree, because it is about standardizing the resources that are available to all of us."