§ Brian WhiteTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is towards using open source software; and what percentage is used in his Department. [69305]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe Department for Work and Pensions will follow the Government policy when published in summer 2002.
Currently open source software (OSS) is not deployed in any of the Department's national or mainstream IT systems. Figures for any use by individuals within the Department are not available, but any such use is minimal and isolated from the Department's major business systems. The Department actively reviews its position on OSS with our IT providers, on a continuous basis, ensuring we are aware of the latest IT industry thinking.