There's a fascinating piece of reporting carried out by UK trade publication, ComputerWeekly together with newspaper The Times into the complete nonsense of the UK goverrment's IT project over on the ComputerWeekly site.

The two publications claim that UK taxpayers will pay an extra £18bn for a number of IT projects where costs are beginning to spiral out of control. One particular contract, for a tax credit system, has almost trebled from £2.9bn to £8.5bn. The total bill for the IT work over the next five years is now expected to reach a dizzying £102bn, according to the report.

On can't help wonder what role professional procurement executives are playing in this particular debacle - if indeed they have a role. Because, surely, for any project to run so far over budget should lead to severe recriminations and even resignations. At least they would in the private sector.