information Technology (Hansard, 3 February 2004)

§ Mr. Allan
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what audit mechanisms are in place to determine whether information technology(a) hardware and (b) software products are being used properly in his Department. [150932]

§ Fiona Mactaggart
The Home Office (core directorates including the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND)) has outsourced support for most of its IT infrastructures, including desktop computers, to three companiesSirius (Fujitsu Services with IBM and Global Crossing) covering the core office and some IND locations (the 'POISE' infrastructure); 795W Siemens covering caseworking for IND; and Steria covering the Probation Service areas.
Home Office contracts provide for the audit of supplier service provision including licence provision. Asset registers are maintained for the major infrastructures. The Home Office allows its staff and people working on behalf of the Department reasonable personal use of its IT equipment. Usage is monitored in accordance with the Information Commissioner's Code of Practice: Monitoring at Work. The Department's notices: 'Non-official use of Home Office telephones and computer facilities', 'Use of POISE and the Internet including non-official purposes' and 'Warning to Staff: Misuse and Abuse of IT' set out Departmental policy to staff. Misuse of hardware and/or software assets may lead to disciplinary measures including dismissal.

§ Mr. Allan
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what cost savings have been made in his Department since the introduction of the Information Technology Procurement Centre of Excellence; and how these were calculated. [151048]

§ Fiona Mactaggart
A Centre of Excellence was established within the Home Office in June 2003 to integrate the essential functions which underpin the successful delivery of all types of acquisition based programmes and projects. As cost benefits will not accrue until improvements start to take effect, it is too early to measure cost savings. All centres of excellence are currently developing future plans and as part of this process measurement of savings will be defined.