§ Mr. AllanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what audit mechanisms are in place to determine whether information technology(a) hardware and (b) software products are being used properly in his Department. [150933]
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§ Mr. RammellThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office uses a number of means to determine whether its IT is being used properly. These include:
- constantly monitoring activity on the IT infrastructure system, Firecrest, including access to websites, and following up any unusual activity;
- information systems audits by our internal audit department;
- requiring all IT users to read and complete an annual certificate of compliance with the security operating procedures; and
- checks by IT security advisers that security operating procedures are being followed.
Post implementation reviews are conducted after a project to deliver new IT has finished, to assess whether the expected benefits are being achieved. The way the system is being used is one aspect of this assessment.
§ Mr. AllanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [151050]
§ Mr. RammellThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) Centre of Excellence was established in June 2003 in accordance with Office of Government Commerce guidelines. It has had a positive impact in improving programme and project management across the FCO, but cost savings cannot be calculated at this early stage.