HC Deb 26 February 1987 vol 111 cc341-2W
Mr. Cohen

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial, technological and service improvements attachment of his Department's computer systems to the Government data network will bring to his Department.

Mr. Hurd

The proposed Government data network would be a technological improvement, which would lead to both financial and service benefits to my Department. The cost of the network will not be known until tenders have been evaluated later this year. Economies of scale in the development, implementation and running of a shared network are expected, compared with the costs that would be incurred if each Department used public services or developed a network for its own needs.