§ Mr. Archie Hamiltonasked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the results of the trials of word processors recently conducted by his Department; and what action he is taking.
§ Mr. HayhoeA range of stand-alone word processors with displays were tested in Government Departments and a copy of the report has been placed in the Library. The trials have shown that the machines are a significant aid to efficiency where staff are carefully selected and trained and where the machines are used for appropriate work, mainly the preparation of reports and letters using standard paragraphs. It is, however, also clear that the use of these machines will not be cost-effective if they are introduced over the full range of typing work. I have, therefore, asked Departments to look for appropriate and cost-effective applications.