Loans firm logs Pounds 1.5m IT bill

The Student Loans Company spent Pounds 1.5 million in 바카라사이트 academic year 1993/94 on "computer development costs" - an increase of nearly Pounds 1 million on 바카라사이트 previous year's spending.

Douglas Trainer, president of National Union of Students, Scotland, said: "35,000 students were without loans this Christmas. How can this amount of money be spent on a computer system that let us down so badly?" The figures appear in 바카라사이트 company's annual report which came out last November without 바카라사이트 usual press conference. They reveal that computer development costs rose from Pounds 168,000 in 바카라사이트 academic year 1992/93 to Pounds 1,489,000 in 1993/94.

Colin Ward, assistant managing director of 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company, denied that 바카라사이트 company's problems had been due to any failure of 바카라사이트 computer system. "We had a communications, not a programming, problem," he said.

The computer development costs arose because 바카라사이트 original system that had been installed in 1990 needed updating. "This is a perfectly normal process," Mr Ward said. "This investment will save us money in 바카라사이트 future."

The figures are represented on a pie chart in 바카라사이트 annual report - but appear to bear little relation to 바카라사이트 actual shading on 바카라사이트 chart. An equally peculiar pie chart appears elsewhere in 바카라사이트 report. The company states that 48.1 per cent of students are up-to-date or ahead with repayments - but 바카라사이트 shaded area representing this percentage on 바카라사이트 pie chart covers more than half 바카라사이트 circle.

Mr Trainer said: "Controvery and confusion have surrounded 바카라사이트 company in all its operations this year, and 바카라사이트 use of inaccurate graphics in 바카라사이트 report will do nothing to clear this up."

Mr Ward said that 바카라사이트 inaccurate graphics were simply a mistake. "The charts are just a graphical representation," he said. "The crucial thing is that 바카라사이트 numbers printed are accurate."

An audit of 바카라사이트 company by Coopers & Lybrand, commissioned by Gillian Shephard, 바카라사이트 Secretary of State for Education following allegations of corruption, is nearly complete and will be reported to 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee.