§ Mr. Adam Hunterasked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) what is the total expenditure to date through his Department with American companies on online computerisation of information for science and the research, capital and preparatory costs for this;
(2) what is the total expenditure to date through his Department with American companies on computerisation of information for science and the research, capital and preparatory costs for this.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisMy Department has incurred no expenditure of the kind referred to. $21,810 has been spent to date with American companies on obtained information from their computerised systems.
§ Mr. Adam Hunterasked the Minister for the Civil Service what representations he has received to the effect that Government Departments are spending large sums of money on computerised systems which has resulted in high graduate unemployment, with librarians and information officers put out of work due to the use of machines, which in some cases are more expensive and less effective than the people they replace.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisI have received no such representations. If my hon. Friend has information which substantiates the allegations in his Question I shall be pleased to receive it.