To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding is presently committed from his departmental budget for (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000 to resolve the year 2000 computer problem; and if he will make a statement. [11892]

This Department's current cost estimate is £3 million—excluding the cost of replacement office automation systems, which will be millennium compliant, introduced before March 1999. We do not yet know the likely cost breakdown over the period in question. We will submit costed year 2000 plans to the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency by October 1997, in accordance with central requirements.