§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (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; [60076]
(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 to 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. [60078]
§ Mr. FatchettI 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. The information the hon. Member requests will be found in the copies of departments' plans which 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 Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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 for millennium compliance; if 572W he will make a statement on progress to date in tackling such problems; and what are the priority areas for remedial work. [60077]
§ Mr. FatchettThe year 2000 problems which have arisen in the FCO are non compliant hardware, software and operating systems in the following:
- Office automation systems
- Business-critical database applications
- Telecommunications
- Embedded systems.
All the above have been classed as high priority.
The Agency for which the FCO has responsibility had a problem with its telecommunication. This is being corrected.
Information on the FCO's progress in tackling these problems was given in the FC0's last quarterly update of its plan, which will be found in the Library. My right hon. Friend the President of the Council will announce the results of the next quarterly review shortly. The updated plan will be placed in the Library and on the internet.
§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [60079]
§ Mr. FatchettThe FCO plans to have all its business-critical IT and embedded systems compliant before the millennium either by correction or by replacement.
The greatest risk has been identified as the limited time available to replace systems around the world. Contingency plans have been drafted to ensure workarounds can be implemented wherever replacements cannot be accomplished in time.
As requested by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council, the FCO will have completed risk assessments, and will have initial year 2000 business continuity plans in place, by the end of January 1999.