Chessington Computer Centre (Hansard, 3 March 1995)

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how he will ensure the same confidentiality and security of highly sensitive data in the event of the work handled by the Chessington computer centre being transferred to the private sector.
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure continued accountability and to guarantee commitment to correct and punctual payment of employees in the event of the Chessington computer centre being privatised.

Mr. Robert G. Hughes
If work handled by Chessington computer centre is transferred to the private sector, the confidentiality and security of data, and accountability and commitment to correct and punctual payments, would be matters on which I should need to be satisfied that adequate safeguards are in place. The detail would be for the new operator and its customers to agree on a contractual basis.

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to protect the ownership and copyright of software written in-house in the event of the Chessington computer centre being privatised.

Mr. Robert G. Hughes
The treatment of software developed in-house in the event of the privatisation of Chessington computer centre is one of the issues on which I shall be advised by the review that I announced on 17 November 1994.

§ Mr. McAllion
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if the review of the Chessington computer centre included an impartial and thorough analysis of all730W the options; and on what grounds the terms of reference did not contain an analysis of Chessington's record as a Government agency.

Mr. Robert G. Hughes
When Chessington computer centre was launched as an agency in 1993, the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced that it was a definite candidate for privatisation but that it was not being privatised immediately due to a lack of a commercial track record and of direct competition. The current review is addressing those issues. Chessington's performance as an agency is being considered as a part of the review of its commercial track record.