HC Deb 30 March 2004 vol 419 cc1337-41W
Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies, including the(a) start date, (b) the planned completion date, (c) the current expected completion date, (d) the planned cost and (e) the current estimated cost; and if he will make a statement. [147652]

Mr. Browne

[holding answer 13 January 2004]: The Department for Work and Pensions and its businesses currently have in excess of 100 individual projects which encompass information technology changes to a greater or lesser extent. The Department's major projects are those contained in the modernisation programme. For the most part, these projects embrace both information technology and business change. The following table lists the Department's current major programmes and projects that are based predominantly on IT change with information on schedules, budgets and achievements to date.

The "Planned Costs" column provides forecasts to project implementation. The "Current Authorised Expenditure" column gives expenditure authorised to the programme or project's next approval gate.

Expenditure on projects is formally approved by the Department's governance process and authorised through review gates. These reviews ensure that projects are meeting the standards we expect (including business change, technical and commercial criteria) before authority to progress to the next stage of their development.

It should be noted that project details may alter as they pass through the project lifecycle.

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs(£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
Working Age IS/IT Strategy Programme December 2003 Various 2Various Under review 10
Key achievements This is a new programme in its initial start-up phase.
2 This is a rolling programme of a number of business and IT improvement projects with individual start and completion dates.

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs(£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
New Tax Credits April 2000 April 2005 April 2005 90 90
Key achievements January 2003: IT Gateway between Inland Revenue and DWP went live.April 2003: Payment of new awards of Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit start. October 2003: 30,000 Minimum Income Guarantee child premium cases successfully completed.

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs(£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
Digital Office Infrastructure May 2000 June 2004 June 2004 750 745
Key achievements DOI aims to implement a modern IT infrastructure platform across the department allowing staff access to modern business software. By February 2004, over 119,000 PCs had been rolled out (plus 23,000 installed in ex ES sites).

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs(£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
Managing Core Systems Estate November 2003 March 2006 March 2006 15 1
Key achievements This is a new programme of enhancements to the Department's core systems and is in define and initiate stage.

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs(£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
Pensions Forecasting Programme September 1999 April 2005 April 2005 40 30
Key achievements October 2001: Combined Pensions Forecasting service available.

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs(£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
Pensions Credit August 2001 October 2004 October 2004 285 255
Key achievements April 2003: Advance application for Pension Credit invited.May 2003: Minimum Income Guarantee to Pension Credit—conversion started.January 2004: Pension Credit payable. 2.18 million pensioner households are now in receipt. Pension Credit Application Line have taken their millionth call.

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs(£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
Pensions Transformation Project January 2002 2006 2006 To be determined—project to be defined 95
Key achievements This project is currently focusing on design and delivering changes to the Pension Service organisation, business processes, services and IT.

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs(£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
Customer Information System July 2003 October 2006 October 2006 50 10
Key achievements This is a new project in its define and initiate stage.

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs(£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
Payment Modernisation Programme October 1999 December 2005 December 2005 465 200
Key achievements From April 2003: Direct Payment became the normal method of payment for new customers. Benefit systems aligned to accommodate direct payments.

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs (£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
Resource Management April 2001 September 2006 September 2006 155 40
Key achievements The project is configuring standard Oracle software and implementing best practice processes to replace the Department's existing resource management systems.

Project Start date Due end date Expected end date Planned costs (£ million) Current authorised expenditure (£ million)
Debt Management November 2000 April 2005 April 2005 115 60
Key achievements February 2004: Nine out of 10 Debt Centres now set-up.

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