HC Deb 11 March 1994 vol 239 cc448-9W
Dr. Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department's computer-aided facilities management system cost; from whom they were purchased; how many person hours were required to commission them; what the estimated and actual saving has been from their operation; and to what extent the use of such systems accounts for the apparent rise in theft noted in his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) of 16 February,Official Report, column 768.

Mr. Goodlad

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Overseas Development Administration use computer applications to provide effective management of computer assets and support costs. The FCO package, from Uni-Tech Ltd., cost approximately £30,000 and took five person weeks to implement. The ODA system, from Workgroup Systems Ltd., cost approximately £18,000 and took two person weeks to implement. It is not possible to identify savings resulting from the improved levels of support to computer users. However, the systems provide improved control of an inventory of some 23,000 items of equipment in the FCO and some 3,000 items in the ODA. None of the thefts referred to can be attributable to the use of these systems.