IT Projects

Dr. Cable
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which information technology projects are being undertaken by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies; what the (i) start date, (ii) original planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) originally planned costs and (v) estimated costs are of each; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Dhanda
The information as requested is not readily available centrally within the Department for Education and Skills. To respond fully would involve an extensive internal and external information collection exercise which would exceed the recommended disproportionate cost threshold.

However, to be helpful, some historical information is available. Analysis of the Department’s individual learning account (ILA) programme is given in the report: “The House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts (2003), Individual Learning Accounts, Tenth Report of Session 2002-03 (Ref: HC 544), TSO, London”.

An analysis of the Department’s UK e-University Project is given in the report: “The House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee (2005), UK e-University, Third Report of Session 2004-05 (Ref: HC 205), TSO, London”.

In addition, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families (Beverley Hughes) on 13 June 2005, Official Report, column 192W, and 3 November 2005, Official Report, column 1314W.