Question

To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, what discussions the Commission has had with (a) Apple and (b) providers of other devices and platforms in advance of the decision to offer iPads free of charge to all hon. Members.

No direct discussions were held with (a) Apple and (b) the providers of other devices and platforms in advance of the decision to offer iPads.

An independent assessment of the tablet marketplace was completed by Parliamentary ICT (PICT), including cost, but also technical capabilities, such as the ability to deliver committee papers securely, and the training effort required for both Members and their staff to move to a different device and/or platform.