HC Deb 14 July 1998 vol 316 cc115-6W
Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 5 March 1998,Official Report, column 696, during which period is the wider set of cross-system and cross-site year 2000 validation tests for the NATS systems expected to take place. [49864]

Dr. Strang

Cross-system and cross-site year 2000 validation testing on NATS systems is due to take place in the period September to December 1998.

Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 5 March 1998,Official Report, column 696, if he will make a statement on the progress of the independent audit of the NATS year 2000 activities. [49865]

Dr. Strang

The initial stage of the independent audit has been conducted and a report was produced in early May. Agreed recommendations are now being implemented. Further audit stages are due to be conducted at approximately 3 month intervals.

Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 5 March 1998,Official Report, column 696, how many of the 99 NATS software items found to be Year 2000 non-compliant have been fixed; and what is the expected completion date for the fixing and testing of these changes. [49863]

Dr. Strang

By the end of July 1998, remedial work on 79 of the 99 non-compliant operational systems and equipment will have been completed. The plan remains to have all non-compliant items fixed and tested by the end of December 1998.