HMRC Failing To Manage IT Projects - Cable

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 12th Jun 2007

Today [Tuesday], the Public Accounts Committee will criticise the Government for the huge cost incurred when it switched IT providers on a major contract.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable MP said:

"This report is yet more evidence of HMRC's inability to manage major IT projects properly.

"It is disgraceful that only four years after this project was tendered for, costs are spiralling out of control. The contractor appears to be running rings round the Government at the expense of the taxpayer.

"A worrying picture of failure and incompetence is being painted, with IT projects running behind schedule with big cost overruns.

"Rather than spending its time hiding Gateway reports from the public, the Government should focus its energy on delivering IT projects on time and on budget. With this kind of record in Gordon Brown's own department, it would be utterly foolish to proceed with ID cards."