§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Minister for the Civil Service if, in the interests of maintaining a home-based information technology industry, he will place significant orders, including that for a future PAYE computer-based system, with British companies by single tender action before the end of the current year.
§ Mr. ChannonI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bridlington (Mr. Townend) on 5 December 1979—[vol. 974, c. 417–19]—when I said that the Government's present policy of acquiring large computers by single tender from ICL, subject to satisfactory price, performance and delivery date, will continue until the end of 1980. A significant number of orders are likely to be placed with ICL by single tender. No decision has yet been taken on the PAYE computer system.