Britain - Survey says 5% firms affected by Y2k computer problems

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Seven pct of UK firms hit by millennium-survey

08:14 a.m. Jan 14, 2000 Eastern

LONDON, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Seven percent of British firms found their business adversely affected by the millennium change, mostly computer problems, the Office for National Statistics said in a survey published on Friday.

Of the firms surveyed, 33 or five percent weighted by company turnover said the problems were computer-related. Other issues were increased wage demands and other issues like low customer demand or longer than normal holidays.

The worst sector affected was the retail trade.

Many older computer programs, if not modified, were unable to recognise the change to the year 2000 since only the last two digits were originally used.

The ONS surveyed 1,144 companies on January 10 and 11. Five companies said they had laid off staff as a result of the millennium.

The results follows a government statement on January 3 that minimised any problems from the millennium bug.

Of the total surveyed, only one percent or 19 firms foresaw problems in the current week. Four of these quoted problems with their own computers as a factor.

((London Newsroom +44 20 7542 6701, fax +44 20 7583 3769, uk.equities.news+reuters.com))

Source: Go-Network News at http://www.go.com/Content?arn=a1178LBY177reulb-20000114&qt=British+firms&sv=IS&lk=noframes&col=NX&kt=A&ak=news1486

-- Lee Maloney (leemaloney@hotmail.com), January 16, 2000


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