§ Mr. Clifton-BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each major new computer system that(a) his Department, (b) non-departmental bodies and (c) agencies under his responsibility have purchased in the last five years; what was the initial purchase cost and what was the final cost; what was each system's (i) planned and (ii) actual date of commissioning; what major computer systems will be purchased by bodies in categories (a), (b) and (c) in the next financial year; and what is their estimated cost. [27837]
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§ Mr. SpellarThe Ministry of Defence defines major computer systems as those whose estimated costs exceed £50m. Many of these systems are acquired in a phased manner, with delivery and payment occurring over a number of years. Projects which have completed their delivery over the past five years are shown in Table 1.
Table 1 Projects completed
System In service date (ISD) Total cost (£ million) AD CIS Air Defence Command and Control Information Systems (Army) 1995–96 71 BATES Battlefield Artillery Target Engagement Systems (Army) 1996 360 DAWN Delivery of the Abbey Wood Network (Procurement Executive) 1996 70 Table 2 contains projects which have delivered some elements during the past five years, with further phases to be delivered over the next financial year and beyond. Table 2. Projects to be completed
- UNICOM: Unit Computing Project (Army)
- CASH: Computer Assistance Support to Headquarters (Army)
- CHOTS: Corporate Headquarters Office Technology System (MOD Centre)
- FAAITS: Fleet Air Arm Information Technology System (Navy).
Information concerning the costs and In Service Dates of UNICOM, CASH and CHOTS are published in Table 8 of Chapter 4 and Annexe E of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1996 (Cmd 3223). For FAAITS, the original estimate of programme cost was £50m; the majority of the phases of the project have been delivered, with final elements to be delivered by August 1999.
Major computer systems under development are set out in Table 3. These systems will deliver over the next financial year and beyond. Table 3. Projects under development
- LITS: Logistics IT Systems (RAF)
- CAPITAL: Resource Accounting and Budgetary System (MOD Centre)
- UPKEEP: Naval Logistics System (RN)
- ASPECT: Computer Support Tools for Procurement Executive
- RAF CCIS: Command and Control Information System (RAF)
- CATT: Battlegroup Trainer (Army)
- CSS: Command Support System (Navy)
- JBD: Battlespace Digitisation (Joint)
- TAFMIS: Training Administration Financial Management Information System (Army Training and Recruitment Agencies)
- AFPAA: Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency Information System
- PPA: Pay and Personnel Agency Partnership Programme.
The allocations of funds to the projects in Table 3 are included in the Department's Long Term Costings. The Department's internal plans represent projections and assumptions which inform advice to Ministers on the 425W affordability of particular elements of the Defence Programme. Accordingly, I am withholding the costing information requested, which constitutes internal decisions and advice, under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Information on the original estimates of cost and planned In Service Dates, where these are relevant, is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
In addition to the above there are certain security-related projects, information about which I am also withholding under Exemption 1 of The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.