Asked by: Matt Rodda (Labour - Reading Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the guidance by the Central Digital and Data Office entitled Guidance on the Legacy IT Risk Assessment Framework, published on 29 September 2023, how many red-rated IT systems are used by his Department; and how many red-rated IT systems have been identified since 4 December 2023.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), in the Cabinet Office, has established a programme to support departments managing legacy IT. CDDO has agreed a framework to identify ‘red-rated’ systems, indicating high levels of risk surrounding certain assets within the IT estate. Departments have committed to have remediation plans in place for these systems by June next year (2025).
It is not appropriate to release sensitive information held about specific red-rated systems or more detailed plans for remediation within Cabinet Office’s IT estate, as this information could indicate which systems are at risk, and may highlight potential security vulnerabilities.
Asked by: Matt Rodda (Labour - Reading Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent on (a) IT infrastructure in total, (b) legacy IT infrastructure and (c) IT infrastructure that was first purchased in 2013 or earlier in each of the last three years.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
(a) As of 21 November 2023, the IT infrastructure spend is £12 million in the last 3 years. The figure includes infrastructure (private/public cloud and data centre) contracts that the Cabinet Office has direct contracts for or with; and excludes Software-as-a-service (SaaS) or Commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products and solutions, that the infrastructure is owned by the supplier.
(b) As of 21 November 2023, £2 million has been spent on what is considered as Legacy IT in the last 3 years.
(c) The Cabinet office does not have any IT infrastructure first purchased in 2013 or earlier on record.
The Cabinet Office is actively managing their legacy estates, and is seeking to exit legacy systems via existing or new change plans.
Asked by: Matt Rodda (Labour - Reading Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Central Digital & Data Office's guidance entitled, Guidance on the Legacy IT Risk Assessment Framework, published 29 September 2023, how many red-rated IT systems are used by his Department as of 21 November 2023.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
As of 21 November 2023 the Cabinet Office has 4 red-rated legacy IT systems as defined in the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) Legacy IT Risk Assessment Framework.
The Cabinet Office is actively managing their legacy systems. Since May 2023 the newly formed CTO Function within Cabinet Office Digital have been proactively addressing legacy management and risk mitigation across the Department. This work is refining the definition of Legacy Technology building on the CDDO framework and creating an assessment for all systems within the Cabinet Office. This is still in progress and we will be delivering a governance and decision framework, founded on the CDDO assessment framework, to create plans for remediation which are based upon assessed risk. This work is due to complete this calendar year and will provide a revised and enhanced legacy risk assessment position for the department.
Asked by: Matt Rodda (Labour - Reading Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the (a) number of items and (b) cost to the public purse of Government IT equipment introduced in the (i) 1980's, (ii) 1990's and (iii) 2000's.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Through the work the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) is currently undertaking we are seeking to develop an overview of the magnitude of the legacy estate initially across ministerial departments.
CDDO has established a programme to support the Government remediating its legacy technology, resulting in a new risk-based framework designed to assess legacy IT assets within government departments. Through this legacy framework CDDO has collated a list of the highest risk systems across ministerial departments and followed up on this to ensure that they all have appropriate funding and remediation plans in place.
CDDO is building a community of practice across government for legacy remediation which will enable the capture of lessons learnt and best practice for dissemination and sharing cross-government to accelerate legacy remediation. This will enable CDDO to create an overview of the magnitude of the legacy estate initially across Ministerial Departments.
The cost to the public purse of external contractors used to maintain legacy IT estate cross-government is not centrally held.
The Government is unable to provide an estimate for the whole of government in relation to the years specified, as this is a devolved matter for individual departments and their Accounting Officers.
Asked by: Matt Rodda (Labour - Reading Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what was the cost to the public purse of external contractors used to maintain legacy IT systems in the most recent period for which data is available.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Through the work the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) is currently undertaking we are seeking to develop an overview of the magnitude of the legacy estate initially across ministerial departments.
CDDO has established a programme to support the Government remediating its legacy technology, resulting in a new risk-based framework designed to assess legacy IT assets within government departments. Through this legacy framework CDDO has collated a list of the highest risk systems across ministerial departments and followed up on this to ensure that they all have appropriate funding and remediation plans in place.
CDDO is building a community of practice across government for legacy remediation which will enable the capture of lessons learnt and best practice for dissemination and sharing cross-government to accelerate legacy remediation. This will enable CDDO to create an overview of the magnitude of the legacy estate initially across Ministerial Departments.
The cost to the public purse of external contractors used to maintain legacy IT estate cross-government is not centrally held.
The Government is unable to provide an estimate for the whole of government in relation to the years specified, as this is a devolved matter for individual departments and their Accounting Officers.
Asked by: Matt Rodda (Labour - Reading Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to replace legacy IT systems; and what the estimated expenditure on replacing those systems is.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Through the work the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) is currently undertaking we are seeking to develop an overview of the magnitude of the legacy estate initially across ministerial departments.
CDDO has established a programme to support the Government remediating its legacy technology, resulting in a new risk-based framework designed to assess legacy IT assets within government departments. Through this legacy framework CDDO has collated a list of the highest risk systems across ministerial departments and followed up on this to ensure that they all have appropriate funding and remediation plans in place.
CDDO is building a community of practice across government for legacy remediation which will enable the capture of lessons learnt and best practice for dissemination and sharing cross-government to accelerate legacy remediation. This will enable CDDO to create an overview of the magnitude of the legacy estate initially across Ministerial Departments.
The cost to the public purse of external contractors used to maintain legacy IT estate cross-government is not centrally held.
The Government is unable to provide an estimate for the whole of government in relation to the years specified, as this is a devolved matter for individual departments and their Accounting Officers.
Asked by: Matt Rodda (Labour - Reading Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of Government spending on legacy IT systems 2023.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Through the work the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) is currently undertaking we are seeking to develop an overview of the magnitude of the legacy estate initially across ministerial departments.
CDDO has established a programme to support the Government remediating its legacy technology, resulting in a new risk-based framework designed to assess legacy IT assets within government departments. Through this legacy framework CDDO has collated a list of the highest risk systems across ministerial departments and followed up on this to ensure that they all have appropriate funding and remediation plans in place.
CDDO is building a community of practice across government for legacy remediation which will enable the capture of lessons learnt and best practice for dissemination and sharing cross-government to accelerate legacy remediation. This will enable CDDO to create an overview of the magnitude of the legacy estate initially across Ministerial Departments.
The cost to the public purse of external contractors used to maintain legacy IT estate cross-government is not centrally held.
The Government is unable to provide an estimate for the whole of government in relation to the years specified, as this is a devolved matter for individual departments and their Accounting Officers.