§ Mr. HaselhurstTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the progress with the Government's plans for the future provision and management of their voice and data administrative telecommunications traffic.
§ Mr. RyderIn March 1989 my right hon. Friend the then Paymaster General announced a collaborative study to identify possible options for aggregating Government voice telecommunications and integrating voice and data traffic. That study has been completed. It has concluded that it would be beneficial to the Government to proceed towards a private integrated digital network, to be known as the Government Telecommunications Service (GTS).
The study also concluded that such a network could be developed by building on the present Government Data Network (GDN). This is managed by Racal Data Networks Limited, and the contract for its operation envisages the possibility of such expansion and enhancement into an integrated network. Negotiations are therefore being opened with RDNL to see whether it can satisfactorily supply such an integrated service. If this approach is adoped, value for money would be secured by requiring that the provision of the supporting products and services for such a network, which form the major part of the value of the contract, would be let by RDNL on a sub-contract basis through competitive tender, in line with the Government's public purchasing policies.
Once these negotiations have been concluded, their outcome will be announced.
A summary of the statement of requirements for a Government Telecommunications Service, the Requirements Overview, has been placed in the Library.