Computers (Century Date Change)

HC Deb 11 November 1997 vol 300 cc468-9W

Mr. David Atkinson

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the guidelines or directives issued by the European Commission on the millennium computer problem; and if she will make a statement. [13156]

Mrs. Roche

No guidelines have been issued by the Commission.

Mr. Ian Taylor

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate she has made of the call on departmental budgets required to carry out the adjustments of their computers to cope with the Year 2000 problem. [14910]

Mrs. Roche

Each department is responsible for dealing with the Year 2000 problem affecting its own computers. Within core DTI the cost of dealing with the problem is estimated at £2.7m which will be found from existing PES provision. Agencies are responsible for their own programmes of work.