§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, regarding the operational strategy consultative document recently published, what he estimates will be the total cost of the development of software, operational procedures and training; what proportion of this cost will be devoted specifically to ensuring that the systems are easy and pleasant for local office staff to use; and what funds will be set aside to pay for research on the impact of computerisation on local office staff, and for studies to determine the best methods of introducing computerisation.
§ Mr. Newton:The operational strategy consultative document contains broad costs only of the proposals made and a number of variants. I estimate that over the 20 year costing period the total cost of the development of software, operational procedures and training would be about £200 million. No decisions on expenditure will be taken until after the end of the consultation period at which time more detailed project calculations will be made of the various cost elements including research studies of the human factors involved in introducing computerisation. I regard such studies as a vital ingredient of the planning work, and the Department is already being helped by consultants who specialise in this field.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what role the trade union side will play in determining operational procedures on responsibilities in local office computerisation consequential upon the recently published operational strategy consultative document; and what funds will be set aside to pay for research on the opportunities local office computerisation will make available for improving the service to claimants in increasing the rate of benefit take-up.
§ Mr. Newton:The consultative document stresses the importance of effective consultation with staff and those who represent them in the development of strategy work. Copies have been made available to trade union side members, and distributed widely to staff.
No expenditure decisions or fund allocations will be made until after the end of the consultation period. It is, however, a prime aim of the proposals to improve the service to claimants. Experiments using microcomputers to provide a welfare benefits information service for
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Region Total management costs in 1979–1980 (£ million) Total resources in 1979–80 (£ million) Management Production 1979–80 Percentage reduction in (3)* (1) (2) (3) (4) Northern 20.390 397.989 5.12 9.96 Yorkshire 22.486 450.372 4.99 7.61 Trent 26.627 541.518 4.92 6.30 East Anglian 11.995 232.723 5.15 10.49 North West Thames 26.471 490.631 5.40 14.63 North East Thames 31.828 585.667 5.43 15.10 South East Thames 28.493 539.599 5.28 12.69 claimants are now starting in a number of locations around the country. The evaluation processes will include efforts to assess the implications of such methods of improving advice and information for benefit take-up.