§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the reasons for delaying the introduction of a full management information system for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office until April 1996; and if he will ensure that speedier progress is made.
§ Mr. BaldryFor operational reasons, the FCO's financial management and accounting system can only be introduced at the start of a financial year. The complex project to procure, configure, test and implement the system began in February 1994. Completing it by April 1995 carried unacceptable risks. April 1996 remains the target.
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the financial management accounting system to be introduced in 1996 will be based on the MINIS-type model operated by home civil service departments.
§ Mr. BaldryThe FCO's financial and management accounting system is a fully integrated accounting system which will enable more precise costing of support and166W frontline functions and the targeting of funding to activities and objectives. It is therefore not based on the MINIS-type model but, as it includes a planning and budgetary module and as it will support the introduction of resource accounting, it will be capable of producing similar information.