Written question asked by Geoffrey Hoon (Labour), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 28 November 1996. It was answered by Lord Howard of Lympne (Conservative) on Thursday, 28 November 1996 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: How many separate computer programmes his Department operates. - Inc figs for police national computer.

Answer: Mr. Hoon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many separate computer programmes his Department operates. [5515] Mr. Howard: There is no universal definition of what constitutes a computer program. A formula or a simple line of executable code could be said to be a program. Most of my Department's information technology systems are supported by outside suppliers, so this information is known only to them. The major applications which are supported in-house are those of the police national computer, which has some 10,000 programs.

Secondary information