§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of the new PCs recently 3W installed in his Department; how the PCs that these computers replaced were disposed of; and what the lifespan of the new machines is. [88450]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe purchase cost of PCs installed in the Department of Work and Pensions up to 30 November 2002, including the associated software and network costs, is £156.7 million. Installation costs, again up to 30 November 2002, amount to £58.5million.
The old PCs are being disposed of by the Disposal Services Agency through a company called "Recommit", which redeploys suitable surplus computer equipment back into the community. Some old PCs and dumb terminals are not suitable for redeployment.
"Recommit" set no hard and fast eligibility criteria and charitable organisations and their clients, usually low income families, can order from them direct. Recent recipients of DWP PCs include Age Concern, the Arthur Rank Centre for Rural Studies, All Nations Christian College, Whizzkids (a children's charity), Woodend Park Community School and Firth Primary School Orkney.
It is assumed that the PCs will need replacing after five years.