NI website spend hits millions

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness disclosed that websites for nine departments cost a total of £1.8m in 2009-10. In a Northern Ireland Assembly answer published on 27 August 2010, they told Ulster Unionist Party MLA Sam Gardiner that a number of existing government websites will be consolidated onto NI Direct, the country's main government site for citizens. "The consolidation of government websites will lead to a marked reduction in website numbers, from 90 to approximately 25 and eventually a saving in the resources required to manage government websites," they said. "The completion of the consolidation project will further enhance the position of NI Direct as the key government channel for online citizen information." The figures show that the Department of Trade and Enterprise had the biggest website expenditure last year with £626,420. The Department for Social Development came second with spending of £388,504. The Department of Education was the lowest with £5,000. The website expenditure of Northern Ireland's Department of Finance and Personnel, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and the Department of Justice was not included in the breakdown of figures. In June, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude announced plans to reduce the number of government websites.