HC Deb 28 November 1996 vol 286 cc346-7W
Mrs. Roche

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what child care facilities his Department provides for its employees; what facilities were provided in 1992; and how many employees have used child care facilities in each year since 1992. [6463]

Mr. Willetts

The child care facilities provided at present and since 1992 in the Departments and agencies for which my right hon. Friend is responsible and other areas which fall to the Cabinet Office Vote are as follows:

needs of the corporate restructuring of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, now the privatised The Stationery Office.

A fifth project covered the costs for the development by the Chessington Computer Centre, now privatised, of an on-line integrated pay and personnel system.

A project to provide contemporary office automation systems in the Central Cabinet Office is in progress; the efficiency gains which are expected to result cannot be quantified in cash terms.

Within the Central Computer and Telecommunication Agency, the enhancement of existing office automation systems is estimated to have resulted in annual savings of more than £00,000 since 1992.

Ms Church

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 11 November,Official Report, columns 52–53, what are the proposed annual savings for the seven IT projects planned for 1997–98. [6712]

Mr. Willetts

The seven IT projects planned for 1997–98 in the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service and its agencies are mostly designed to bring up to date or enhance office automation and other support and communications facilities. The improved efficiency resulting from the new systems cannot be quantified in cash terms.

The exception is the Civil Service College, where the introduction of a new financial management system is expected to generate savings of up to £47,000 per annum.