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An online petition calling for CCTV to be installed in all care homes across the UK has notched up 10,000 signatures, the point at which the government is required to provide an official response.

Lisa Smith (pictured) created the petition in January, having taken her 86 year old father Joshua out of care after four years, claiming his life had been a ‘living nightmare’ during that time due to poor care.

“I’m delighted and really made up that so many people have signed the petition, and that the whole issue of care home abuse and neglect is being placed into the spotlight and being discussed,” said Lisa.

“CCTV is now a must. There have been some horrendous cases gone to the courts and reported in the media. Let’s get CCTV in care homes and stop this poor treatment.”

Video cameras have an accepted and familiar role in identifying wrongdoing and in exonerating the innocent. They are now being used by police forces themselves to protect officers from being wrongly accused of misconduct - or worse.

That issue takes on an altogether more sinister tone when the officer concerned is a firearms officer, which is why a number of police forces are taking part in a pilot to identify whether chest-mounted or head-mounted cameras are more suitable for firearms officers.

One of those forces is Staffordshire, which already uses around 560 body-worn video cameras, according to the Police Oracle news website.

On 21 December the Ministry of Justice launched a 'digital strategy' that is aimed at transforming the way it delivers services. The MoJ says the strategy will help deliver digital services that are easier to use and better value for users and the Government and is a major step towards becoming digital by default.

Announcing the move, the MoJ said: "It will enable us to design our services around the needs of users: whether that's providing victims with more information about their case, allowing individuals and businesses to file claims more easily, or providing tools to help rehabilitate offenders.

"The strategy outlines our programme of digital transformation and identifies 20 actions grouped under four themes that will change the way we do business and help deliver a justice system that is more effective, less costly and more responsive for the public."

Too few company chief executives and chairs take a direct interest in protecting their businesses from cyber threats, according to new advice from the Government. In order to address the problem, government departments have joined forces with experts at GCHQ to target senior level executives in the UK's largest companies and provide them with advice on how to safeguard their most valuable assets, such as personal data, online services and intellectual property.

Cyber Security Guidance for Business was launched on 6 September at an event attended by FTSE 100 CEOs and chairs, ministers from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Foreign Office, Cabinet Office and Home Office, and senior figures from the intelligence agencies.