§ Mr. AllanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the proportion of his Department's computer systems which will be millennium compliant on 1 April 1999. [58847]
§ Mr. Mudie[holding answer 16 November 1998]: According to current plans 91 per cent. of the Department's business critical computer systems will have been fully tested, corrected and put back into use by 1 April 1999. The remainder will be corrected and in service by 30 September 1999. The target date for the completion of work on non-business critical computer systems is 31 October 1999.
§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the problems which have arisen in(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which his Department is responsible arising from millennium compliance; if he will make a statement on progress to date in tackling such problems; and what are the priority areas for remedial work. [60073]
§ Mr. Mudie[holding answer 17 November 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to him on 18 December 1997, Official Report, column 253. That answer outlined the plans in the Department, including its partner organisations in the wider education and employment sector, to ensure that services do not suffer material disruption as a result of the millennium date change issue. He will wish to note that good progress has subsequently been made in implementing these plans, with all milestones having been achieved.
He will also wish to note that no further problems or issues have either arisen or been identified since the earlier answer was provided last year.
§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what is his latest estimate of the total cost of tackling the millennium computer problem including the embedded chip problem in(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which his Department is responsible, separately identifying expenditure to date and future expenditure; and if he will make a statement; [60072]
(2) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the computer systems in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which his Department is responsible will be modified and tested in relation to the millennium computer problem by January 1999; and if he will make a statement. [60074]
§ Mr. Mudie[holding answer 17 November 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council to my hon. Friend for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle) on 21 October 1998, Official Report, column 1109, in which she announced 642W the results of the latest quarterly review of Government departments and agencies progress in tackling the bug. This also covered key organisations within the wider public sector. The information the hon. Member requests will be found in the copies of departments' plans which have been published in the Library of the House. The results of the next quarterly review will be announced shortly to the House and the updates to quarterly plans will be placed in the Library of the House and on the internet.
§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the contingency plans drawn up by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies in relation to problems arising from millennium compliance including the embedded chip problem after 31 December 1999. [60075]
§ Mr. Mudie[holding answer 17 November 1998]: The Department has a large number of business processes. Each is being identified and assessed as part of the Year 2000 programme. Outline contingency plans for key services will be completed by January 1999. DfEE's Year 2000 Programme Board has also recently considered a Millennium Operating Regime which will form part of the overall contingency planning arrangements. This approach focuses particular attention on those risks which could impact directly on the services provided to members of the public. In my Department, these are provided by the Employment Service.
The Department has also completed an initial assessment of the state of preparedness of our many partner organisations in the wider eduction and employment sector. The risks in this wider sector are currently being identified and assessed. Some of our partner organisations have already developed contingency plans to minimise the threat of disruption. Where appropriate, other partner organisations will be encouraged to do likewise.
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the conclusions of Taskforce 2000 published on 11 November in respect of his Department's most recent quarterly return on plans and progress towards Year 2000 readiness. [60215]
§ Mr. MudieA key element of the approach adopted by my Department to the Year 2000 date change is to subject its plans and processes to external audit. I welcome the assessment by Task Force 2000 which endorses the views of earlier audits and confirms that my Department is making good progress.
The results of the next quarterly review will be announced shortly to the House and copies of the Department for Education and Employments' latest quarterly return will be placed in the Library of the House and published on the internet.