§ Mr MeacherTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the costs of implementing resource accounting proposals in the civil service.
§ Mr AitkenTo the extent that resource accounting requirements can be incorporated in the normal cycle of replacement and upgrading of systems, there will be no additional cost to departments. The implementation target in the Green Paper, April 1998, has been set with this in mind. Departments are currently working up their detailed proposals for resource accounting on the basis of the Green Paper, but will need to be sure of the outcome of the current consultation process, which should be known early next year, before finalising their proposals.