A report written for the Conservatives by Cambridge University’s Judge Business School challenges the traditional approach of government to IT projects. The report is critical of large scale and long term contracts which have, in many cases, over-run, exceeded budgets and failed to provide adequate solutions. Author Mark Thompson says his report "shows how government could save hundreds of millions of pounds a year by creating a more open IT procurement process - including levelling the playing field for open source software … It isn't rocket science – it's about creating a modern and efficient procurement system. Governments and companies around the world are making use of open source software, and we could achieve much more here in the UK." The report suggests this would reduce licensing costs and free government bodies from long-term monopoly supply contracts. George Osborne, shadow chancellor, claims "the Conservative Party is looking to the future. We have led the debate on using open source software in government.”

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