§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Chairman of the Information Committee if he will make a statement on the information technology facilities currently available to hon. Members.
§ Mr. WallerIt is for Members to acquire their information technology facilities, making use of the office costs allowance.
The computer officer is available to offer Members informal advice on the acquisition and use of IT equipment. The Information Committee has also published guidelines for Members, which have recently been updated and are incorporated in the "Members' Handbook".
105WIn my reply to the hon. Member on 19 January:1993 at columns 154–55 I referred to computer services accessible via the Library. In the course of that response I also drew attention to the pilot project for a parliamentary data and video network (PDVN) at present being undertaken at 7 Millbank. This is available to Members and their staff whose offices are located at 7 Millbank and who have direct cabling to the network. In addition to database services, which include POLIS and Hansard on CD-ROM, the network also provides electronic mail and outgoing fax facilities.
The PDVN pilot project is to be reviewed by the Information Committee towards the end of the year as part of its current inquiry into the network.