A British parliamentary committee has examined the costs of hardware and administration services of the State, and came to the conclusion that a set of bad practices had led to a disastrous billing of equipment purchased. Called "A recipe for scams," the report shows that governments have paid ten times the trade price for computers, or 3500 pounds (4000 euros) per machine.
Very critical, MEPs argue that "the lack of computer literacy in the grouvernement and overemphasis providers is a fundamental problem which is a recipe for scams." "The purchase of computer equipment has too often resulted in the acquisition of machinery inappropriate for use and too expensive."
TO APPEAL TO SMEs
Among the practices condemned by MPs include in particular the lack of cost comparison between different administrations, or the excessive dependence of state services to a small group of large suppliers, described as an "oligarchy." MPs recommend above all the state to diversify its suppliers, and SMEs to turn to whenever possible.
The UK has launched in recent years several major digitization or computerization of certain services, the cost has proved exorbitant. A grand plan for computerization of the health system, initiated by the previous Labour government alone has cost over 12 billion pounds (13.5 billion euros) in the fall, the government authorized hospitals to self-manage their computer, hoping thereby saving several hundred million pounds.
