Police Service Radio Communication Project

HL Deb 01 March 2000 vol 610 cc80-1WA

Baroness Massey of Darwen

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made on the Police Service Radio Communication Project. [HL 1282]

Lord Bassam of Brighton

On 13 January, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary laid before Parliament a departmental minute notifying a non-statutory liability arising from the issue by the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO) of a letter of instruction to proceed to British Telecom plc. This letter authorised them to invest in the project infrastructure, pending satisfactory conclusions of the final contract negotiations. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary can now confirm that yesterday evening PITO signed a contract with British Telecom plc for the provision of the Public Safety Radio Communications Service (PSRCS) to all police forces in England, Wales and Scotland. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary will be announcing shortly further details on the scope and timetable of the project.