Dear Sir or Madam,

This is a request to Parliamentary Information Communication and
Technology (PICT) under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

It relates to the computer software "source code" which has been
developed by PICT, or is maintained by PICT. Here "source code" is
anything written by computer programmers in languages such as C++,
Java, ASP, ASP.NET, Visual Basic, PL/SQL, Ruby or any other
computer programming language.

Please send the following:

* Procedures or documentation for backing up of the PICT source
code. * A copy of the most recent PICT source code backup.

Thanks for your help!

Yours faithfully,

Francis Irving

Dear Mr Irving

We have made initial enquiries about your request. It is not at all
clear to the possible information holders what it is you are actually
seeking. For example, you ask for:

"source code" which has been developed by PICT, or is maintained by
PICT. Here "source code" isanything written by computer programmers in
languages such as C++, Java, ASP, ASP.NET, Visual Basic, PL/SQL, Ruby or
any other computer programming language.

And

Procedures or documentation for backing up of the PICT source code, etc

However, as stated above, it is not clear what information you are
actually seeking. On a literal reading your request would appear to
cover the code behind the many applications used by both Houses and
includes in-house and third party systems each of which will have its
own procedures or documentation for back-up. Even a quick look at the
scope of your request suggests that the time to locate, retrieve and
extract relevant information and to prepare it in the form requested
will exceed the appropriate limit set for such activities.

I should be grateful if you could clarify your main areas of interest in
order that we might better understand the scope of your request.

Please let me know if I can assist in any way

Bob Castle
Freedom of Information and Data Protection Officer

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Dear Bob,

If finding the source code from various disparate systems is going
to be too expensive and complicated, then instead I'd like to know
what source code there is, and where and how it is stored.

Perhaps the easiest way would be for you to send the Business
Continuity Plan for PICT for use in disaster recovery situations,
or extracts thereof. This is likely to be in the form of a printed
manual avaiable for reference after an event, such as a fire, and
would explain how to relocate the business in another place and
recover the data and source code.

If you have any other document that describes or lists the source
code held by PICT, that would be great.

Yours sincerely,

Francis

Dear Mr Irving

Thank you for your reply. As you note, your request still covers a large
area of ground.

However, we hope that the following provides a response to your
question...

If finding the source code from various disparate systems is going to
be too expensive and complicated, then instead I'd like to know
what
source code there is, and where and how it is stored.

The House does no have a list that describes the source code held by
PICT.

In terms of significant systems (and excluding macros and other minor or
bespoke systems for which source code will exist), the Parliamentary ICT
service (PICT) supports around 150 live databases across both Houses of
Parliament. This includes corporate applications (in areas such as
finance HR, procurement, catering and facilities management), procedural
applications (covering the legislative, scrutiny and debate functions of
Parliament) and knowledge applications (covering the research and public
information functions). Many of these are supported by third parties but
some in house development does take place, especially in the procedural
area. Since the creation of PICT, in house development of production
systems has been undertaken in the PICT Technology Directorate. Such in
house developed systems code is stored and versioned in Team Foundation
Server, hosted on Windows 2003 Server. This code is also backed up by
the Technical Services team on a daily basis to a secure offsite
location.

The House will consider complaints in relation to its handling of this
request. These should be addressed to [House of Commons request email] or
Freedom of Information Officer, Department of Resources, 7 Millbank,
London SW1P 3JA. Please ensure that you specify the nature of your
complaint and any arguments or points that you wish to make. If you
remain dissatisfied, you may appeal to the Information Commissioner at
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely

Bob Castle

_________________________________________________
Bob Castle
House of Commons Data Protection and Freedom of Information Officer

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