§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what computer system enhancements have taken place to allow the Child Support Agency to handle the departures scheme; who supplied the enhancements; what they cost; and to what extent they were based on existing computer packages. [23330]
§ Mr. Andrew MitchellThe administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 2 April 1996:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency computer system.The existing Child Support Computer System (CSCS) has been upgraded to incorporate the new functions associated with the Departures scheme. The enhancements were supplied by the existing CSCS supplier, EDS, working as part of a joint development team of Child Support Agency, Information Technology Services Agency and EDS staff.The total cost of the enhancements are "commercial in confidence".A number of Departmental approved computer packages, which form part of the Departments IT infrastructure, have been used to integrate with the mainframe CSCS. These are Windows, ABC Flowcharter and Autoroute. No enhancements were made to these products. The enhancements to the CSCS are being developed through Rapid Application Development techniques by use of the Huron product.I hope this is helpful.