HC Deb 16 January 1998 vol 304 cc345-6W
Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will place a copy in the Library of the letter sent to suppliers reminding them of their contractual arrangement to ensure their goods are millennium compliant and list the suppliers to whom the letter was sent and the date on which it was sent; [23588]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 22 December, Official Report, column 418, if he will list the names of those suppliers who have been unable to provide the necessary assurances that the equipment they provide is millennium compliant. [23587]

Mr. Spellar

Suppliers under existing contracts are being requested to confirm that equipment being supplied will be Year 2000 compliant. For new procurements a condition of contract is included covering Year 2000 compliance. A copy of the standard letter issued to those suppliers will be placed in the Library of the House.

Liaison with MOD's suppliers occurs at many points across the Department. Local project staff are responsible for ensuring that suppliers who are approached provide satisfactory responses to the request for assurance. There is no central record of suppliers who have been contacted, or of responses from suppliers unable to provide the necessary assurances.

This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials and at what grade are working on millennium compliance issues. [23589]

Mr. Spellar

Staff at all levels of the MOD are involved in Year 2000 associated tasks ranging from the rescheduling of resources, to the management of Year 2000 programmes and projects, to the checking and correction of systems. When necessary, internal staff resources are being supplemented by suitably skilled consultancy effort.

However, the size and scope of the MOD and of the delegated nature of the way the Department does its business means that detailed information is not centrally available on the numbers and grades of officials involved in Year 2000 remedial work. This information could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimate of the cost to his Department of ensuring that all equipment is millennium compliant. [23586]

Mr. Spellar

The current estimated total cost to MOD of tackling the Year 2000 problem is £200 million. Costs are, however, still being assessed and refined and it is expected that the imminent completion of more costed plans will give a better indication of the accuracy of this estimate.