§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Postmaster-General what consideration the National Data Processing Service give to considerations of regional development.
§ Mr. Edward ShortIt is too early to forecast where computer centres for the National Data Processing Service might be set up in the future. The service would be based at the start on the centres required by the Post Office for its internal data processing needs. These at present exist in London, Portsmouth, Derby, Lytham St. Annes and Edinburgh and are planned for Leeds, Glasgow and Bristol.
The location of further installations would depend on a balance of advantage in which factors such as quality and ease of recruitment or other regional aspects would certainly be important. Although the physical location of the computer in- 236W stallation will be fixed by considerations of practical convenience, computing facilities by remote working will be very widely available.