HC Deb 11 April 1989 vol 150 cc517-8W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department's new standards for safety critical systems, DefStan 0055, will require mandatory adherence to formal methods for written software; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Sainsbury

The draft defence standard (DefStan 0055) covering the use of software in safety critical applications in defence equipment has yet to be issued for consultation. The extent to which formal methods will be mandatory will be resolved as part of the consultation process.