§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Inland Revenue's definition of millennium conversion expenditure, with particular reference to whether the definition includes the development of new systems. [37581]
§ Dawn Primarolo[holding answer 6 April 1998]The Inland Revenue's expenditure on its Year 2000 project covers all capital, manpower (management and technical) and running costs necessary to review, convert and test the computer systems which support its business.
Since the start of the Year 2000 project all new systems are being developed to be fully millennium compliant and their costs are not included in the Year 2000 project costs.
All the Department's expenditure on Year 2000 conversion, including the Year 2000 project and work to deal with embedded technology, is being met from within existing funding limits.