Editor's Manifesto: NPfIT memo - scrubs & scalpel politics?

Posted by Jon Wilcox on Sat, 04/03/2000 - 13:37
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After 13 years in power, news the government is looking to tie the NPfIT into a series of unbreakable, ongoing, multi-billion pound contracts before the general election, just begs the question, what’s the rush? It’s already four years late, after all! Obviously, hastening such contracts within a matter of weeks is an amazingly astute attitude to take for a government, especially given the programme’s smooth and comprehensive planning and execution to date, and the administration’s track record of delivering robust ICT projects in recent years…

…ahem.

The minister overseeing the NPfIT’s implementation, Mike O’Brien has already confirmed the government’s plans to get a ‘memorandum of understanding by the end of March’, leaving no doubt that the next administration will be locked into spending yet more taxpayers money on a project that’s already cost over £12 billion (and more, depending on which estimates you look at.)

O’Brien defended the move, describing a situation where the government would stop before the election as “complete nonsense.” So in other words, the Department for Health is eager to tie down the National Health Service with years of expense, leaden, contracts, before the general election, but isn’t willing to disclose the details of where NPfIT cuts will be made under after election day.

The head-scratching issue is this: if the move to tie down the NPfIT into expensive contracts with CSC and BT is a spiteful, political move (and let’s face it, such a move isn’t outside of the realms of possibility when it comes to politics), then what would happen in the event of a Labour win, one where it’s trying to rule a minority government? For months, it’s looked like the Conservatives were heading into minority government as part of a wider hung parliament; a memorandum would scupper David Cameron’s plans to slash the NPfIT’s costs.

This week, some polls have put the Tories just two points ahead of Gordon Brown’s Labour, a lead that has steadily eroded away. If that’s the case, what room would a new Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer (assuming Gordon finally gets his way and drops Darling into touch) have to cut costs in the NPfIT?

So which is it, political spite or just another case where Labour is painting itself into a corner?

Jon Wilcox, Deputy Editor