To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason no external assessment has been made of the plans of his Department for millennium compliance. [78466]

At present I am content to rely on the robustness and independence of our own Internal Audit team. They have just completed an examination of our compliance programme. We have taken on board the lessons they have flagged up. If, however, we feel that there is a need for external assessment, we shall arrange one.