§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will place in the Library copies of the reports produced following internal audits of the Swanwick NERC computer system since the start of the project; [34733]
(2) if he will place in the Library details of the outstanding 5 per cent. of bugs that cannot be rectified in the new en-route centre computer system at Swanwick. [34732]
§ Ms Glenda Jackson[holding answer 18 March 1998]: No. A number of internal audits of the NERC software systems have been undertaken by National Air Traffic Services Ltd. (NATS) and by the prime contractors developing the Air Traffic Management systems. Those reports contain information that is commercially sensitive, and therefore it would not be appropriate to place copies in the Library.
NATS are confident that there are no bugs within the NERC software systems that cannot be rectified. There is no question of NATS management bringing the new centre into operation until they have full confidence in the safety and integrity of the Air Traffic Management systems.