§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the pilot study of computer millennium compliance in respect of the Welsh Development Agency has been completed; what conclusions have been drawn; when millennium compliance will be achieved; at what cost to public funds; and if he will make a statement. [32769]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesThe Welsh Development Agency is in the process of conducting an in-house millennium compliance assessment of all its computer hardware and software and I will arrange for the Chief Executive of the Agency to write to the hon. Member on the questions he has raised. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
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§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales when all testing on year 2000 computer compliance will be completed in the Welsh Office. [32762]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesThe Central IT Unit at the Cabinet Office and its agent, the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, set a model timetable for Departments to follow. The Welsh Office has followed this timetable and aims to complete its testing by the end of December 1998.
§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if the pilot study of computer millennium compliance in respect of the Welsh Office has been completed; what conclusions have been drawn; when millennium compliance will be achieved; at what cost to public funds; and if he will make a statement;[32766]
- (2) when he last met Treasury Ministers to discuss the costs of computer millennium compliance; and from which budgetary sub-head the costs will be met; [32764]
- (3) what estimate he has made of the cost to the Welsh Office of (a) consultants and (b) contractors engaged by his Department to address the issue of computer millennium compliance; and if he will list them. [32765]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesMy right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has today presented to Parliament his first quarterly review of progress on tackling the millennium computer problem across central Government. Copies of the questionnaires completed by departments and agencies on progress towards millennium compliance, have been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many officials or other individuals in the Welsh Office working on computer millennium compliance have(a) given notice of their intention to leave or (b) left this Department in the last six months. [32761]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesNo officials or other individuals in my Department working on this project have either given notice of their intention to leave or left in the last six months.
§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the pilot study of computer millennium compliance in respect of the Development Board for Rural Wales has been completed; what conclusions have been drawn; when millennium compliance will be achieved; at what cost to public funds; and if he will make a statement. [32771]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesThe Development Board reviewed the millennium compliance of its IT and telecoms systems during 1996–97. Although the result was that some systems were not compliant at that time, the Board concluded that its normal programme of upgrading and replacement would achieve full compliance by 2000.
It is expected that compliance will be achieved at minimal additional cost to public funds since programmed upgrades and replacements have specified year 2000 compliant products.
The process of merger into the economic powerhouse has halted DBRW investment in its IT systems, except in those areas which have been agreed to be a requirement of the new WDA. Millennium compliance for the new body will be a matter for the merger implementation team to consider.
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§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many officials or other individuals in the Welsh Office are currently working on computer millennium compliance. [32760]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesAn assessment of the effect of the millennium date change has been undertaken and around 25 staff are spending some time working on the various systems throughout the Department. A central unit is co-ordinating this work.
§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to discuss the progress of the Welsh Office towards achieving computer millennium compliance. [32763]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesThe Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Mr. Hain), attended the two meetings of the Cabinet Ministerial Group on the millennium date change, at which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was present, at the end of January 1998.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what contingency plans he will establish in case of failure on 1 January 2000 of computer systems in the Welsh Office. [32773]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesMy right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has today presented to Parliament his first quarterly review of progress on tackling the millennium computer problem across central Government. Copies of the questionnaires completed by departments and agencies on progress towards millennium compliance have been placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the pilot study of computer millennium compliance in respect of the Land Authority for Wales has been completed; what conclusions have been drawn; when millennium compliance will be achieved; at what cost to public funds; and if he will make a statement. [32772]
§ Mr. Ron DaviesThe Land Authority for Wales has consulted its internal auditors and the National Audit Office and, with their agreement, is in the process of conducting an in-house millennium compliance assessment of all its computer hardware and software. No problems have yet been detected.