HC Deb 04 November 1997 vol 300 cc130-1W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which(a) Minister and (b) civil servant has overall responsibility for ensuring millennium computer compliance in his Department and its associated public bodies. [13626]

Mr. Ron Davis

As Secretary of State I have overall responsibility for ensuring compliance in my Department. The civil servant responsible for Millennium issues within the Department is Dr. A. G. Thornton. In the case of public bodies it is the responsibility of the relevant chief executive.

Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make a statement on what funding provision has been made to accommodate the expenditure needed to resolve the computer millennium problem; and if he expects to have sufficient funding to pay for the work necessary to achieve complete millennium compliance by 1 January 2000; [13624]

(2) what is his latest estimate of the total cost of resolving the computer millennium problem in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which he is responsible; if he will state in each case (i) expenditure incurred to date, (ii) expenditure planned for 1997–98, (iii) expenditure planned for 1998–99 and (iv) expenditure planned for 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [13623]

Mr. Ron Davies

My Department has made an assessment of the effect of the millennium date change. I do not expect there to be any major costs involved in ensuring that my Department's computer systems can cater for the year 2000. Cost of future preventative and remedial action on year 2000 will be met from existing PES provision.

Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the action plan, due by 1 October 1997, for resolving the computer millennium problem in his Department, its agencies and other public bodies for which he is responsible; if such was fully completed on time; and if he will make a statement. [13622]

Mr. Ron Davies

The costed action plans for all Departments will be analysed by officials in the central IT unit at the Cabinet Office and the CCTA and the conclusions reported to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who will then inform Parliament. The plans will be exempted from disclosure under the open government code of practice on access to government information which permits non-disclosure prior to an announcement. However, once the announcement has been made the plans will be available to the public.

Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department, its agencies and other public bodies for which he is responsible completed the millennium computer compliance audits of systems; and if he will make a statement. [13625]

Mr. Ron Davies

The central IT unit at the Cabinet Office and its agent the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency set a model timetable for Departments to follow. The Welsh Office has followed this timetable and completed by January 1997 a full survey of the work which needed to be done.