§ Mr. AtkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement of progress on the introduction of information technologies to facilitate internal communications in his Department and the provision of information to the public concerning those areas for which he is responsible; and if he has any further plans to apply the newest technologies in these fields.
§ Mrs ChalkerThe IT strategies of each wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office directly support the Department's business aims and objectives. Particular attention is paid to securing value for money from new technology by using IT tools and systems that meet Government and international standards.
In 1987 a new automated message handling system was introduced into the FCO communications centre to speed up the transmission and receipt of messages between the FCO and its overseas missions.
Since 1983 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has invested significantly in computerised financial and personnel management systems to enhance efficiency of resource use and to measure more effectively the results of its activities. Six such systems serving about 300 work stations are in operation. Overseas about 130 posts have standard IT systems in support of our commercial, information, consular, aid and administrative activities. The bulk of these are standard systems which will be upgraded to meet the newly emerging standards over the next two to three years.
The future needs at home for secure office automation in the diplomatic wing are the subject of a current £4.5 million turnkey development contract. If the evaluation of this pilot scheme proves satisfactory, proposals for substantial investment in this area will be scrutinised 379W against the background of the Department's business objectives, cost benefit analysis and other operational considerations.
A separate office automation pilot is in progress in the aid wing. This makes use of a separate message handling switch providing, combined telex, facsimile and electronic mail facilities. If successful it will be extended to integrate more closely ODA's three United Kingdom sites and five overseas development divisions.
The FCO will be making use of the electronic news distribution service to forward press notices via the Central Office of Information to the press.
Other enhancements have included the widespread introduction of facsimile and automated telephone exchanges in overseas posts and the provision of abreviated telephone dialling facilities from FCO departments in both wings to almost all overseas missions.
There is currently an ongoing development for the introduction of IT-based secure communications systems between the FCO and its overseas missions. Within the 380W next 12 months up to 12 missions should receive this eqipment thereby speeding up the handling of information between London and posts overseas.