§ Maria EagleTo ask the President of the Council what progress has been made in ensuring millennium compliance in central Government's systems and equipment and in its suppliers. [54713]
§ Mrs. BeckettThe results of the last quarterly review, which I announced on 9 September 1998, showed that good progress is being made by Departments and agencies in tackling the year 2000 problem. Work on correcting priority, business-critical, systems is particularly well advanced. Over half of the returns reported that 50 per cent. or more of the correction work has been completed and in a fifth of cases this figure was as high as 90 per cent. Departments and agencies are also seeking assurances from suppliers that they will be able to continue to provide key products and services into the next century.
The individual returns from the last quarterly review are available in the Library of the House together with my statement, a copy of which I sent to all hon. Members on 9 September.