§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether their proposals to merge the Inland Revenue and Customs & Excise is included in the £3 billion ASPIRE contract for the Revenue's information technology systems; and, if not, what are the cost implications of the proposal both for that contract and more widely. [HL2190]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe ASPIRE contract has been negotiated with CAP Gemini Ernst and Young to maximise the flexibility available to the Government, not just to facilitate machinery of government changes but also to enable joining up of government. The contract therefore has clauses which will enable us to adapt to any changes which might involve work being added to or taken away from the scope of ASPIRE.