XN000022-1978-10-21 — Page 6

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1978

TREASURY EXPANDS COMPUTER SERVICE

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THE TREASURY HAS EXPANDED ITS COMPUTER FACILITIES TO COPE WITH INCREASING WORKLOAD AND TO ALLOW MORE GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES TO BE COMPUTERISED.

THIS WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE USE OF A LARGER AND MORE ADVANCED MODEL OF THE COMPUTER EARLY THIS YEAR WHICH REPLACED THE OLD MODEL THAT HAD BEEN IN USE SINCE 1970.

ANOTHER MAJOR DEVELOPMENT DURING THE YEAR WAS THE INSTALLATION AT THE DEPARTMENT'S SUB-OFFICES OF NEW COMPUTERISED RECEIPTING MACHINES. THEY REPLACED THE LESS EFFICIENT ELECTRO-MECHANICAL CASH REGISTERS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TREASURY SAID THESE NEW SEMI-ON-LINE EQUIPMENT WILL PERMIT RECEIPT TRANSACTIONS TO BE BROUGHT TO ACCOUNT PROMPTLY IN THE APPROPRIATE ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS WITHOUT EXCESSIVE MANUAL INVOLVEMENT,

+WITH MORE EXTENSIVE COMPUTER FACILITIES BECOMING AVAILABLE, + HE SAID, +1977-78 FINANCIAL YEAR ALSO SAW SEVERAL OTHER ASPECTS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FUNCTIONS COMPUTERISED.

*THEY INCLUDED THE SYSTEM FOR RECORDING THE REPAYMENTS OF STUDENT LOANS, AND THE SYSTEM TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ISSUE AND SETTLEMENT OF THE MANY AND VARIOUS DEMAND NOTES ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.+

*THE PAYMENTS OF SEVERAL OF THE REGULAR ALLOWANCES TO CIVIL SERVANTS WERE ALSO TRANSFERRED TO THE COMPUTERISED SALARIES SYSTEM.

+IN THE PAST, PAYMENTS OF THESE ALLOWANCES WERE MADE UNDER A PARTIALLY MECHANISED SYSTEM, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT PLANNING IS ALSO WELL ADVANCED FOR THE COMPUTERISATION OF THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS AND WIDOWS AND CHILDREN'S PENSION SCHEMES, AND THE INTRODUCTION OF A COMPUTER- BASED SYSTEM FOR THE PAYMENT OF CREDITORS.

+THESE SYSTEMS ARE TO BE IMPLEMENTED LATER THIS FINANCIAL YEAR AND THE CREDITORS SYSTEM WILL LATER BE EXPANDED INTO A FULL FINANCIAL INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR BUDGETARY CONTROL, COSTING AND MANAGEMENT, HE ADDED.

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