§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why £600,000 is to be spent on a computer for the Essex police; whether he will examine the project to establish whether a computer plus its associated equipment at a cost of under £3,000 would serve the same purpose; and whether he will cause an independent investigation to be made into all aspects of this matter and hold up the purchase of this computer until the report of the independent inquiry.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe project aims to establish practical ways in which computer techniques can help police to investigate complex, major crimes. The scope of the project was decided after widespread consultation within the police service. The specification issued to industry was based upon that requirement. A wide selection of suppliers has been approached, but the successful supplier has yet to be chosen. It is clear that the police requirement cannot be met by minimal facilities and that the total project, including associated experiments in the preparation and handling of data, will need substantial provision.