§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his latest estimate of the total cost of tackling the millennium computer problem including the embedded chip problem in(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which his Department is responsible, separately identifying expenditure to date and future expenditure; and if he will make a statement; [60060]
(2) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the computer systems in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which his Department is responsible will be modified and tested in relation to the millennium computer problem by January 1999; and if he will make a statement. [60062]
§ Mr. StrawI refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle) on 21 October 1998,Official Report, column 1109, in which she announced the results of the latest quarterly review of Government Departments' and agencies' progress in tackling the bug. This also covered key organisations within the wider public sector. Departments' plans have been published in the Library. The results of the next quarterly review will be announced shortly to the House and the updates to quarterly plans will be placed in the Library and on the internet.
§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the problems which have arisen in(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which his Department is responsible from millennium compliance; if he will make a statement on progress to date in tackling such problems; and what are the priority areas for remedial work. [60061]
§ Mr. StrawFour millennium compliance problems have occurred in my Department, affecting management information, statistical and payroll data. Three of these were solved before December 1997. In the fourth case, the few statistical records affected are being dealt with manually while the software is corrected. This correction is due to be completed by the end of December 1998. The agencies and public bodies for which my Department is responsible have not reported any compliance problems.
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§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the contingency plans drawn up by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies in relation to problems arising from millennium compliance including the embedded chip problem after 31 December 1999. [60063]
§ Mr. StrawContingency planning is a major element of the response of my Department and its agencies to the millennium date change problem. In line with recent Cabinet Office recommendations, the target is to have initial contingency plans in place by the end of January 1999.
Chief executives of national departmental public bodies and similar bodies sponsored by my Department provided quarterly progress reports against their Year 2000 plans, for publication on the Internet. These refer specifically to contingency planning.