Foreign Office Prism system problems revealed

Embassies and consulates hit when Prism went live

Problems implementing the Foreign Office's Prism computer system included incorrect programming that prevented 20 overseas posts, including British Embassies in Moscow and New Delhi, from using it.

When the system went live in February, the embassies and consulates affected discovered they could not access suppliers, approve purchases or buy goods and services, and software rules granting access to accounting systems were incorrect.
The blunders were revealed in reply to questions in the Commons from Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay, who was told it took two weeks to get our people involved in missions in places such as Afghanistan online.

Diplomats were told to do their accounts on spreadsheets for a month and submit them to London where they were loaded into the system.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: 'An investigation has been initiated into how these configuration problems arose, and how the issues were resolved subsequently.'

The Foreign Office has also admitted problems with communications for Prism when changes in infrastructure improved the speed and consistency of performance of 67 posts connected to London by landline, but didn't reach a further 112 posts that rely on satellite communications.

Straw said the Foreign Office 'maintains a close and constructive dialogue' with systems supplier Capgemini but said it 'would not be appropriate' to reply to Mackinlay's further question about the department making a claim against Capgemini for lack of sufficient memory in the system because of 'the ongoing nature of discussions'.

The Foreign Office was strongly criticised earlier by the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee for late delivery of its annual report and accounts partly because of problems with Prism.