§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if her Department has current dealings with(a) non-governmental organisations and (b) suppliers which are not millennium compliant; and on what date her Department will cease to deal with (i) non-governmental organisations and (ii) suppliers which are not millennium compliant. [20522]
§ Mr. FieldYes. Examples are banks, building societies and many other suppliers of goods and services which are not yet fully millennium compliant. We have identified the organisations who provide data for the Department and recipients of data from the Department and we are working with these organisations to eliminate any risks to our systems.
733WThe Department also makes use of a range of standard software packages for internal use. We are in discussion with our suppliers to ensure that these are, or will become, Year 2000 compliant where necessary.
The Department's Year 2000 Project is working closely with all its external organisations and suppliers. However, if we become aware that an organisation or supplier will not become Year 2000 compliant to our timetable, in accordance with Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) guidance, we will review our contractual relationship with them, and consider alternative sources of supply.