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Mr Jones, who is also Minister for the Economy & Transport, said:

e-Crime affects all areas of society. It can be damaging for businesses, directly hitting their bottom line and deterring them from effective use of the Internet.

And while the larger corporations can afford to invest in their own internet defences, small businesses may find it difficult to find the time and resources to ensure their security.

The Deputy First Minister was speaking at the 4th annual e-Crime Wales summit at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport.

With the majority of Wales’ 190,000 businesses being SMEs, delegates were told that all businesses must be on their guard. Mr Jones added:

Wales is a nation of SMEs. That’s one reason why we take e-crime very seriously indeed. We aim to keep Wales as a great place – and a safe place – to do business. And business in the 21st century increasingly means e-Business.

The latest research from the Welsh Assembly Government shows that 1 in 10 Welsh businesses have been affected by e-Crime. It also revealed that two out of every three SMEs do not have an IT policy.

Action by the Welsh Assembly Government

The Welsh Assembly Government is leading the fight against e-Crime in the UK with an emphasis on team work. Actions include:

• The creation of an e-Crime Wales Manifesto and Action Plan for Wales.
• The development of an e-Crime support programme, which will provide access to appropriate resources and guidance.
• A dedicated Welsh Assembly Government e-Crime Unit.
• Cross agency collaboration, with a central coordinating Sergeant with a dedicated officer in each Welsh police force.

Mr Jones finished his speech with a call for continued team work.

As transport minister, I am conscious of the important role played by a wide range of agencies in keeping our roads as safe as possible – designers, builders, police, insurers and so on.

In the same way, each of us in Wales has a role in tackling e-Crime – to keep our superhighway safe in the same way as our tarmac highways.

For more information on e-Crime Wales, please log onto: http://www.ecrimewales.com

Related Links

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/businessandeconomy/?lang=en

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/businessandeconomy/broadbandandict/?lang=en