§ Mr. IngramTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the cost effects of the millennium date change on the computer systems operated by his Department. [2611]
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§ Mr. Ian Taylor[holding answer 5 November 1996]: My Department commissioned a study earlier this year to assess the effects of the millennium date change on the administrative computer system that it operates. The resulting report estimated that the necessary work would cost approximately £2.7 million. This cost excludes the replacement of non-compliant hardware and software which will be life-expired for other reasons. It also excludes the cost of work undertaken on computer systems operated by next steps agencies, which have their own programmes of work in respect of the millennium date change.