§ Mr. Eggarasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a management information and accounting system is in use in his Department; whether the information adduced is received and analysed at ministerial level; whether it is publicly available; and whether any changes are proposed in the coming year.
§ Mr. HurdThe diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office operates a basic system of management accounting to analyse overseas costs. This 571W information is available to Ministers, but is not normally publicly available. The diplomatic wing, as part of its programme for improving financial management, will be considering its requorements for a comprehensive management information and accounting system during the coming year.
The Overseas Development Administration uses a number of management and accounting information systems to record and control aid programme expenditure. Information derived from them is reported to Ministers as appropriate, and much of it is published in due course. Tenders will shortly be sought from the computer industry with a view to the introduction in 1984 of a fully integrated system.