APPENDIX 3
Note by the Clerk of the Committee
IT FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE
DEVOLVED LEGISLATURES
THE SCOTTISH
PARLIAMENT
MSPs are provided with one networked desktop
PC and one network-enabled laptop (with secure dial-in access).
There is also a centrally held "Equipment,
Furniture and IT" budget. Each Member was able to spend £5,000
from this in the first year of the Parliament. Members may spend
up to £3,000 this year and £1,500 annually thereafter.
Purchases using this budget must be made through the central procurement
office, which has negotiated special rates with suppliers.
Other extra PCs can be purchased using the Local
OCA. The full amount of this allowance is £10,260 but some
Members receive less (depending on how many Members from the same
party have been elected for the region). There is also a Staff
Costs Allowance (which currently amounts to £36,936).
Some MSPs have "pooled" their OCA
to purchase extra equipment with assistance from the political
parties. Some Members' support staff in the building use non-networked
PCs with ISDN lines to ensure quick internet access. The ISDN
lines are provided by the Parliament.
THE WELSH
ASSEMBLY
Details of the equipment provided to Members
of the Welsh Assembly are attached (see Annex 1). I was also told:
"The costs of provision of IT support for
Assembly Members remains to be a confidential contractual item
and we are not in a position to reveal these costs.
By way of information the IT for the National
Assembly, Assembly Members and their Support Staff is provided
through a PFI contract with Siemens Business Services. This contract
provides for a level of service to support the business requirements
of the office—this is more than the simple provision of
the PC hardware and software. It includes the maintenance and
support, training, network infrastructure (LAN and WAN) etc.
The attached lists the minimum specification
of the hardware to be provided under the contract and the software
available—as yet neither Assembly Members nor their support
staff have been provided with Document Management applications
(nor is this planned to be made available). This is an `a live'
contract and changes are being agreed to the specifications using
contractual Change Control procedures.
Printing facilities are provided in both National
Assembly and Constituency offices these connected using ISDN lines;
minimum provision is laser printer and multifunctional fax/printer
in National Assembly and multifunctional fax/printer in constituency
office."
The OCA available to AM's currently amounts
to £30,800 for staff and £7,300 for other office costs
(up to 25 per cent of the total budget can be vired between the
two headings). There is no system of central procurement.
THE NORTHERN
IRELAND ASSEMBLY
Details of the equipment provided to Members
of the Northern Ireland Assembly are attached (see Annex 2). I
am awaiting information on finance/costings.
19 June 2000
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