§ 38. Sir J. Langford-Holtasked the Lord President of the Council what consideration has been given to the use of a computer for information retrieval in the House of Commons Library.
§ Mr. Sydney SilvermanI have been asked to reply.
Serious consideration has been given for some years to the use of a computer by the House of Commons Library. Although computer techniques promise important improvements in the methods of storing information and retrieving it when required, detailed consultations with computer agencies indicate that these methods would not yet be economic for the work of the Library. The matter is, however, currently under investigation by the Library Sub-Committee.
§ Sir J. Langford-HoltWill the hon. Gentleman bear in mind, as I am sure he does, that the best service of this type is vital to ordinary back benchers in the permanent struggle that goes on against the Executive? Would he give more details of what the difficulties are, because if finance is to be a main difficulty this House should be informed of it and be able to give a decision on the matter?
§ Mr. SilvermanThe importance of the Question is fully appreciated. As a matter of fact, in this instance it is not finance that presents the greatest immediate difficulty. The hon. Member will know that the range of Members' in- 1148 terests is enormous, and makes the problem of devising an appropriate computer language extremely difficult. Investigations have been made into the possible savings in time and money in the production of (a) an accessible and full index to the Parliamentary papers, and (b) answers to hon. Members' requests for searches in HANSARD. Neither proposal promised economy, and (b) was not even practicable at this stage of computer development.
§ Sir Knox CunninghamCan the hon. Gentleman say whether this computer would work in Welsh?
§ Mr. SilvermanWe have sufficient difficulty in devising a computer language without going into regions of Parliamentary competence.