GCHQ losing staff to Google

BRITAIN'S top secret electronic spy agency, GCHQ, is struggling to retain cyber-security specialists because it cannot match the wages offered by Google.

GCHQ is reportedly unable to offer salaries to rival those of the internet search giant and Bill Gates' Microsoft company.

The parliamentary intelligence and security committee said yesterday it was "concerned" that GCHQ was unable to retain a "suitable cadre of internet specialists" to deal with the growing threat of cyber warfare.

The committee, made up of senior MPs and peers, rebuked GCHQ for losing track of equipment worth up to 1 million over the past ten years. In 5 per cent of these cases - covering about 450 items - it could not guarantee there was no security risk.