HC Deb 10 December 1997 vol 302 c594W
Mr. David Atkinson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is her Department's estimates of the percentage of businesses that are(a) currently aware of the year 2000 problem relating to computer systems and (b) taking action at shop level; and what estimate she has made of the subsequent loss of gross domestic product based on these figures. [14553]

Mrs. Roche

The Department has not made a formal assessment of levels of awareness or actions under way. However, in October DTI supported Sage Software in announcing the results of their survey. One of their key findings is that awareness of the problem is high (at 95 per cent.) but that the number of those that have completed an audit is lower (at 55 per cent.), while the number for those planning to allocate budget in 1997–98 to resolve the problem is only 43 per cent.

Nor has the Department been able to make any formal assessment of potential loss of GDP. The impact on GDP will depend on the action taken from now on and I am urging businesses to act without delay.

Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on her Department's assessment of the level of preparedness of UK business in relation to year 2000 computer compliance. [13228]

Mrs. Roche

[holding answer 4 November 1997]: The Department has not made a formal assessment. However, in October DTI supported Sage Software in announcing the results of their survey which, as I said at the time, are clearly a cause for concern. One of the key findings is that awareness of the problem is high (at 95 per cent.) but that the number of these that have completed an audit is lower (at 55 per cent.), while the number for those planning to allocate budget in 1997–98 to resolve the problem is only 43 per cent.

This justifies DTI's new initiative—"Action 2000" which will help provide businesses with what they need to tackle the problem.