§ Mr. David AtkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his Department's timetable for dealing with the Year 2000 Computer Problem; who is in charge of the project: how many staff are working on it: what is the projected cost of resolving the problem; and whether the project is on schedule. [7147]
§ Mr. PrescottThe DETR and its Executive Agencies are undertaking systems audits and holding discussions with product and service suppliers to analyse the problem in detail in order to produce costed plans by October 1997. Details of costs, schedules and resources will be determined when these are produced, but the target is to complete essential changes by December 1998. Approximately, the equivalent effort of 14 staff is employed on the projects at this stage, excluding work in contracted service suppliers.
Directors and Agency Chief Executives are responsible for addressing the problem in their businesses and in most cases each has appointed a project manager. Government Offices for the Regions are responsible for the Year 2000 compliance of their local applications. GO Central Unit has corporate responsibility for these offices and is setting up a formal project to manage all Year 2000 issues.