§ Mr. Ralph HowellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many computers were in use in the United Kingdom(a) in all Government Departments and (b) in each of the National Health Service, local government, central Governmentand the nationalised industries, for 1970, 1979, 1984 and 1988.
§ Mr. BrookeThe numbers of large and medium-sized computers in use in the United Kingdom in central Government Departments for administrative and scientific purposes, in the years concerned, are:
Computers 1970 205 1979 530 1984 970 1988 1,428 In addition, it is estimated that about 25,000 microcomputers are currently in use in central Government Departments. No central records of these are maintained and figures are not available for past years.
Figures for the numbers of computers in the National Health Service, local government and nationalised industries are not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.