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Ministry of Defence: ICT

Question for Ministry of Defence

UIN 7171, tabled on 15 December 2023

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) laptops and PCs, (b) mobile phones and (c) other technological devices were issued by his Department in each year since 2019.

Answered on

8 January 2024

I am providing figures for the MODNET Official network, which is the MOD's corporate ICT system serving the largest number of users, some 206,000 based in the UK and Overseas.

In 2020 MODNET Official moved from a predominantly desktop PC estate to a mainly laptop-based estate. While the primary access to MODNET is via laptops and fixed devices, alternative solutions are provided through iPads and iPhones. These are procured by internal organisational areas based on their individual requirement.

MODNET Official PCs and Laptops, iPhones and iPads issued by Year.

Desktop PC

Laptops

iPhones

iPads

Total

2019

0

0

2,118

495

2,613

2020

105

21,503

8,081

3,131

32,820

2021

8,748

115,496

3,140

560

127,944

2022

7,594

25,117

7,198

1,286

41,195

2023

2,650

13,696

2,221

1,365

19,932

MODNET laptop devices are delivered through a managed service which includes a repair service. Devices which are deemed Beyond Economic Repair (BER - those which are broken and faulty, and not economically fit to be repaired) are cannibalised for parts and/or sent for either destruction or, where possible, recycling. BER data was not captured in 2019 and 2020 while the new laptop deployment was underway and Defence was largely a Desktop based organisation. MODNET iPhones and iPads are disposed of via an approved disposal route at the end of their serviceable life.

MODNET Official Laptops declared BER.

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

0

0

1,118

43

3,428


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