HC Deb 24 March 1998 vol 309 cc109-10W
Mr. David Atkinson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to commission independent research into the consequences for business and public services of the need for computer systems to be millennium compliant. [27878]

Mrs. Roche

The Ministerial Group chaired by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is gathering information and consultants may have a part to play in advising the Government.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) when she last met a Treasury Minister to discuss the costs of millennium compliance in her Department; [32355]

(2) when she last met the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to discuss her Department's progress towards millennium compliance. [32354]

Mrs. Roche

[holding answer 3 March 1998]: A Ministerial Group on the Millennium Date Change, chaired by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, has been set up. A Ministerial sub-Group, chaired by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, has also been set up to discuss aspects of millennium compliance relating, inter alia, to Government Departments. Ministers from this Department and the Treasury attend meetings of both these groups.

Mr. David Atkinson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to wind up Action 2000; and if she will make a statement. [35102]

Mrs. Roche

Don Cruickshank has been appointed as Chairman of Action 2000 until 31 March 2000. I expect that there will continue to be a need beyond 1 January 2000 to provide advice to businesses which have failed to act in time, or whose actions have not proved to be completely successful, but it is too early to predict how long this requirement might last. I urge all businesses to decide now what steps they need to take and act without further delay.