§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the gateway review of the elements of the National Programme for IT in the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [185963]
§ Mr. HuttonI have no current plans to do so.
The Office of Government Commerce Gateway process is an integral part of the assurance mechanism for ensuring that large-scale procurement projects and programmes meet prescribed planning and governance requirements and that they can progress successfully to the next stage. Gateway reports, in the form of advice guidance from experienced practitioners, are provided at key stages in a project or programme's development cycle. They are made direct to the senior responsible owner (SRO) and are confidential in order not to impair the value of the advice. The SRO has responsibility for ensuring that any recommendations are addressed before the project is permitted to proceed.