HC Deb 06 May 1998 vol 311 c434W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he has taken to provide Government ministers with IT equipment for their official duties; and how many have acquired such equipment to date. [39807]

Dr. David Clark

The prototype electronic red box, which I demonstrated in January, shows the possibilities for Ministers to take advantage of modern Information Technology, and the potential for reducing the time and effort needed to fill and transport old-style boxes.

We are upgrading the prototype to take account of the latest developments in IT. I expect Ministers that wish to use the operational version will be able to do so later this year.