§ Mr. David AtkinsonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of his Department's survey of the effect of the turn of the century on the computers of United Kingdom organisations; what is his assessment of the availability of skills required to respond to the problem and the cost concerned; and what action is being taken to alert and help businesses of all sizes. [27921]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorThe survey revealed a high level of awareness amongst IT directors of organisations. The technical skills required are not demanding, but the scale of an organisation's problem can be reliably assessed only if an audit is carried out. The cost of fixing the problem depends on the size and age of an organisation's software portfolio. My Department will provide information on our world wide web site, and through the business links, and will be persuading senior management to take the problem seriously. There is time to deal with it if tackled now. The longer it is left, the higher the likely cost of remedial work. I am urging all chief executives to discover now for themselves the extent of the problem in their companies.