One of the most famous symbols of Westminster politics, the ministerial red box, is going hi-tech.

The reams of paperwork, briefing documents and constituency correspondence that currently fill ministers boxes will soon be replaced by a shiny new lap-top, designed especially by the Defence Establishment Research Agency.

Dr David Clark, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has been showing off the 'James Bond-style' electronic box, which relies on security features including voice recognition to prevent people from logging in and stealing state secrets.

Dr Clark: responsible for the Government's IT strategy

The box even comes complete with a kind of "virtual Moneypenny" -- a female voice that will wish the minister a "good morning" when the computer is booted up, and say "goodbye" when it is shut down.

The system will allow ministers to conduct all their usual business and much more. Initially they will not be connected to the Internet although they will be able to access and pass information quickly and easily via the Cabinet Office's intranet site.

Dr Clark is convinced the innovation will improve ministers' working lives.

"It allows the government to be at the forefront of technology," he said.

"It means that the most up-to-date information can be relayed to ministers instantly. It will make our lives much easier and it's pretty cost effective too".

Access controls include a special personal ring -- and fingerprint recognition

At first the computers will not contain TOP SECRET information which will continue to be held only on paper. British intelligence has decided that -- although the new boxes are quite secure -- nothing can be deemed to be 100% leak-proof just yet.

The hard disk will, however, contain confidential, restricted and secret documents.

Mark Gladwyn from the Cabinet Office explains security for the new ministerial boxes (17")

Mark Gladwyn, a Cabinet Office technology expert, says that the voice and fingerprint recognition systems added to the computers' scrambled hard disk would make it "pretty difficult" for a thief to obtain sensitive information.

It all sounds like exciting stuff but the new technology could prove to be a mixed blessing for Tony Blair and his team.

At least with the old boxes there was a limit to how much paperwork could be crammed into the box to take home. A box containing a computer hard disk could carry a near-infinite amount of homework.

Initially the new boxes, costing around £2,500, will be issued to Cabinet ministers with junior ministers expected to receive theirs soon after.

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