Written question asked by Brian Jenkins (Labour) on Thursday, 14 October 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 1 November 2004. It was answered by Fiona Mactaggart (Labour) on Monday, 1 November 2004 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Department spent on outside information technology and communication specialist consultants and engineers in the 2003-04 financial year. - Inc fact that info involves disproportionate costs.

Answer: Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for The Home Department how much the Department spent on outside information technology and communication specialist consultants and engineers in the 2003-04 financial year. [191906] Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office does not hold central records on how much was spent on outside information communications and technology (ICT) specialist consultants and engineers in the financial year 2003-04. To obtain the information requested would incur disproportionate costs. The Home Office is currently addressing this problem with the implementation of an Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, Adelphi and Prison Service Phoenix, which will provide accurate management information on the Department's use of consultants and engineers. The use of specialist consultants and engineers in the Home Office and its agencies provides the Department with specialist knowledge, skill, capacity and technical expertise that is not otherwise available in House. Much technical ICT consultancy and engineering is provided by the Home Department's ICT service providers, notably in 2003-04 by EDS, Fujitsu, Siemens and Steria, as part of their overall service provision charge.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 426 c51W; 191906
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Contracts Consultants ICT Expenditure Government departments Home Office Staff Engineers
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk