asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what his Department has spent on (a) computer hardware and (b) computer software for each year since 1984; and what is the projected expenditure for 1987.

For the year 1985–86, expenditure on hardware was approximately £1,107,000 and on software £336,000. For the year 1986–87, the expected expenditure on hardware will be approximately £1,007,000 and on software £226,000. Expenditure in 1987–88 is expected to be of the same order.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to which firms his Department has awarded contracts for computer hardware for each year since 1984; and what was the value of each contract.

Contracts in excess of £10,000 were awarded to the following firms. It is not possible for reasons of commercial confidentiality to provide details of the value of each contract.