§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many embassies the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Telecommunications Network hardware has been installed in each of the last six months; in how many he expects it to be installed in the next six months; and if he will make a statement. [34623]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office Telecommunications Network (FTN) provide two main services for our diplomatic missions overseas. One is connection to a telecommunications network; the second is the provision of a telephone system (PBX). Provision of these services entails installation of hardware at our missions. In each of the last six months FTN hardware has been installed as shown.
Month Telephone systems Network connections Total installations August 2001 5 4 9 September 2001 5 12 17 October 2001 9 8 17 November 2001 8 5 13 December 2001 7 17 24 January 2002 7 9 16 Total 41 55 96 Work planned for the next six months should see FTN hardware installed as shown.
163W
Month Telephone systems Network connections Total installations February 2002 7 13 20 March 2002 7 18 25 April 2002 4 18 22 May 2002 10 20 30 June 2002 9 11 20 July 2002 4 10 14 Total 41 90 131
§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place the contract for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Telecommunications Network in the Library; and if he will make a statement [34622]
§ Mr. MacShaneUnder exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information we are unable to deposit the document.
§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the date upon which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Telecommunications Network will be fully operational; and if he will make a statement. [34621]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office Telecommunications Network (FTN) provide two main services for our diplomatic missions overseas. One is connection to a telecommunications network; the second is the provision of a telephone system (PBX). These services are being provided under a 10-year PFI contract, signed in May 2000, at which time it was envisaged that the network would cover 136 missions by May 2002. The scope of the network has now increased to cover 210 missions, with work due for completion before the end of 2002. It will be 2004 before the target for PBX replacement is reached. In the interim period, reliable telephone connectivity between our missions and UK offices will be achieved by using a mix of new and legacy PBXs.