§ Mr. BarnesTo ask the Chairman of the Information Committee what was the cost of the Parliamentary Data and Video Network in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [51021]
§ Mr. AllanThe Capital and Revenue cost of providing the PDVN, in the financial year 1997–98, including expenditure on upgrade and improvement projects, but excluding expenditure on IT from the Office Cost Allowance and money spent by Departments of the House in providing information services on the PDVN (such as POLLS) was £2,207,000. Associated staff costs over the same period were an additional £647,000. It is estimated that some £750,000 was spent by the House of Commons on PDVN cabling in 1997–98.