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Home Office

Answer

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how cost implications of new technology for the police force are assessed and monitored by the Department. [195479] Caroline Flint: The cost implications of new technology for the police force are subject to an assessment and monitoring process. As far as police information and communications technology is concerned the central customer function of the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO) supports the police service in articulating its business requirements for ICT. Its function is to provide robust business cases and to encourage the deployment of solutions in forces that meet those needs and enable the realisation of policing benefits. The priorities and business requirements set by the central customer will fully reflect those set by the Department in the National Policing Plan and the Home Office Police Science and Technology Strategy. The police forces can also purchase technology based on local needs and priorities including non-ICT items of technology. These are assessed and costed locally by the police force and relevant police authority. PITO are currently subject to an end to end review and a key aspect of the review is how the provision of ICT to the police should be managed both nationally and locally. The findings of the review will be closely aligned to proposals currently under consideration as part of the Police Reform agenda.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

195479; 426 c896-7W;426 c900-1W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Costs ICT Police Monitoring Telecommunications Technology Police Information Technology Organisation

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk