Treasury IT projects '17 years late'

Computer projects at the Treasury are running 17 years late, according to figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats.

Among the most delayed projects are a centralised automated number plate reader database, which was due to be completed in October last year but is now expected to be completed next month. And BS7799 compliance at the Government Actuary's Office, which was expected to be completed in August 2003 but was not completed until last month.

When the delays across all Treasury projects are added together they come to 17 years, the Lib Dems said.

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman, Vince Cable, said the figures show just how bad the government is at running IT projects.

Cable said in a statement: "With the Treasury, who are allegedly the guardian of government efficiency programmes, finding it so difficult to keep IT projects on schedule, it would be utter madness to go ahead with further large IT projects such as ID cards."

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The Tories were quick to jump on the Lib Dem bandwagon, and Theresa Villiers, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said: "This is deeply embarrassing news for [Chancellor] Gordon Brown - the man who loves to boast about his government efficiency programmes. All that hype about Gershon and efficiency rings hollow when the real facts come out about dismal IT failures like this."

But a Treasury spokesman told silicon.com the "vast majority" of IT projects are being delivered on time and on cost.

The spokesman added: "Like other areas of the public services the Treasury group believes that embracing this new technology will continue to deliver the high quality public services that the taxpayer deserves while also making huge efficiency savings."