CBO00000018 - Ltr from A Darling MP to J Denham MP - Automation of Post Offices

Evidence on official site

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John Denham Esq MP Social Security
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for See »

Department of Social Security (
Richmond House

79 Whitehall
LONDON

J
SWIA2NS ZY Ausust 1997

.

AUTOMATION OF POST OFFICES AND BENEFIT PAYMENTS

Thank you for your letter of 12 August giving me early warning of the further
difficulties this major project is experiencing.

2. We need to establish urgently whether the current project can be brought
back on track. { hope it can, both in your Department’s and the Post Office’s
interests. It would be helpful to get a clear picture of the prospect of this as soon as
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wl xpect
possible, Perhaps you could fet me know when _ " . ns that
wing the _.
information, Once we have that assessment ell i" ‘her negotiations
‘ne j ye can then conside
and analysis which you outline in your letter, we sider th

Ae Way
forward.

3. However, it does seem inevitable that this further slippage in the
implementation timetable is going to add significantly to the large Programme
overspends which the DSS is already expecting and to your vai Tunning costs
position. Against this background, I must look to you to identify ways of making
good or containing the losses.

4. Meanwhile it is clearly sensible to undertake some contingeney work,
especially looking into the case for ACT, in the event that the contract is pulled.
Even if it is not, it might be useful to look again at the merits of ACT especiatty
a8 a growing number of people are increasingly familiar with the operation of

bank accounts. I hope however that this will not divert attention from making
this project work.

5. Sam copying this letter to the Prime Minister, John Prescott, Margaret

Beckett, David Blunkett and Mo Mowlam.

eer

all

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