§ Mr. IngramTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment has been made of the cost effects of the millennium date change on the computer systems operated by his Department. [32671]
§ Mr. BoswellWork is currently under way in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to assess the impact and likely costs of the millennium date change on the computer systems operated by the Department. Initial planning has been undertaken and a project—which covers applications and systems software, as well as hardware, from our suppliers—has been established under the auspices of the Ministry's information technology steering group. Early activities include an assessment of the impact on selected pilot systems, but until this and other related preliminary work has been completed, likely costs cannot be assessed.