HC Deb 31 March 1976 vol 908 c490W
Mr. Stonehouse

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the computers purchased or hired for the public service in each year since 1964; and what is the use to which the equipment is devoted, its capital and/or annual cost, the utilisation factor, and the economy in manpower achieved through its installation.

Mr. Charles R. Morris

A list of computers for administrative and scientific purposes installed in Departments is published in "Management Services in Government" annually in May and is updated quarterly. This publication is available in the House of Commons Library, and the information given includes the use for which the computer was acquired. There are, however, over 200 computers currently in use and a number of these acquired since 1964 have now been decommissioned. The information about the cost, the degree of utilisation and the economy in manpower achieved, could therefore only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. If the hon. Member has any particular installation in mind perhaps he will write to me about it.