HC Deb 03 April 1996 vol 275 cc332-3W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the savings to date to his Department and his Department's agencies from out-sourcing arrangements made with the EDS software computer system; what assessment he has made of the equivalent costs for carrying out this work in-house; and if he will make a statement. [24359]

Mr. Moss

The Northern Ireland Office, the Northern Ireland departments and their agencies have one contract with EDS. This contract resulted from EDS taking over a public sector organisation which had previously provided the relevant service. An in-house service did not therefore exist and could have been established and maintained only at a higher cost than the contract with EDS.