HC Deb 06 May 1998 vol 311 cc702-3
2. Mr. David Hanson (Delyn)

What progress has been made with regard to millennium compliance within Government. [39790]

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Dr. David Clark)

The progress reports that I published on 3 March show that many central Government organisations have reached the testing stage or, in some cases, completed work. An update on progress will be made in June, when I shall also make available information on progress in the wider public sector.

A new year 2000 team has been established in the central information technology unit, in my Department, to chase progress and to help spread best practice across Government Departments and the wider public sector. The new team is also managing a study undertaken by Ernst and Young, which will initially define and map those processes that are key to the maintenance of essential public services in the United Kingdom, including those run by private sector companies.

Mr. Hanson

I thank my right hon. Friend for that full reply and for the work that he and his team are clearly doing to ensure that Departments are millennium compliant by 2000. Does he agree that, as with many private sector businesses, the key to millennium compliance rests with the testing period? He has mentioned that not all Departments have reached that stage. What does he intend to do to ensure that they do, and what further action is planned?

Dr. Clark

My hon. Friend is right to highlight that issue. Experience in the private sector has shown that difficulties often emerge at the testing stage. I have drawn that to the attention of all my ministerial colleagues and have requested them to undertake internal audits on the tests and to bring in external assessors, so that we have a belt-and-braces approach to the whole affair.

Mrs. Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham)

Has the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster had the opportunity to read today's Financial Times, which says that the national health service is failing to act on the millennium bomb? The software house Prove It 2000 has produced a survey showing that more than a third of NHS trusts, hospitals and general practitioner surgeries have spent nothing on ensuring that their systems can cope with the millennium and that, so far, only 24 per cent. of NHS administration systems are millennium compliant. Does he still maintain that the NHS will be ready for the millennium, and is he prepared— right now— to give a Government guarantee that all NHS services will be fully operational by the first week of 2000?

Dr. Clark

Every health authority and national health service trust has responded to the 31 March 1998 deadline. The summary information from the survey suggests that good progress has been made overall, but, as the hon. Lady said, and as has been reported in the press, a minority of NHS organisations have further work to do. We at the centre of government have decided to monitor the situation, and regional directors will be required to intervene if progress is found to be unsatisfactory in any NHS organisation. If we had inherited a better-prepared plan for tackling the problem when we took office, we would have been better prepared to deal with what one has to admit is an extremely difficult problem which must be solved, no matter what happens, because the year 2000 will surely come.

Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich)

Will my right hon. Friend make an urgent attempt to point out to several Departments and agencies that there are major problems with their computer systems? There is a problem at the Inland Revenue and a severe problem with air traffic control, and there is clear evidence that some Departments will face the same difficulties. Will he please talk severely to those in charge and say that it is now well beyond the 1 1 th hour, and that the 12th hour may be very painful indeed?

Dr. Clark

My hon. Friend is right to make the point that the problem has to be solved. We have never pretended that it is easy: it is not. We have established a Cabinet Committee to consider the problem overall, and we are working with Ministers to try to ensure that plans are in place to ensure that Departments are compliant on 1 January 2000. Indeed, we have done more than that: we have published all the details in the Libraries of both Houses and on the internet, and I shall return to the House every three months to give an update on the plans. It is clear that we need to be absolutely open and show the world that we are tackling the problem.