HC Deb 18 November 1998 vol 319 c674W
Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the conclusions of Taskforce 2000 published on 11 November in respect of his Department's most recent quarterly return on plans and progress towards Year 2000 readiness. [60210]

Mr. Meale

I welcome the independent assessment of my Department's recent quarterly returns on plans and progress towards Year 2000 readiness. I can assure the hon. Member that the Department is making every effort to deal with the problems identified particularly as the assessment reinforces that made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council in September. My Department is pleased to note the positive feedback on progress in the Centre. The results of the next quarterly review will be announced shortly to the House and copies of DETR latest quarterly return will be placed in the Library of the House and published on the Internet.

Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy that all local authorities should publish details of their Year 2000 planning; and if he will make a statement. [60209]

Mr. Raynsford

We wish to see all public sector bodies publishing their plans for dealing with the millennium bug and reporting every 100 days on their progress against their plans. We are working with the Local Government Association to achieve this in the local government sector.