http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17512536

Does anyone here seriously believe they'll do much more than play Angry Birds and lose them in taxis?

"We're in this together" my @rse!


Apparently, at least 70 MPs have already bought iPads on expenses! Let's assume it was the lowest model (which it won't have been), that's 70 x £399 = £27,930

According to Wikipedia, there are 650 MPs in the UK, are they saying each and every one will get an iPad? I don't even want to do the maths, it will depress me too much!! But it's a lot.

And they say buying iPads will save the taxpayer money...eventually! Now, that's a whole lot of paper you'd have to get through to make a saving!

Meanwhile, the country's on its @rse.

They give them out to bin men so why not MPs? Hell lets give them to everyone on the dole too. They all deserve one. [/end sarcasm]

Don’t forget that they will have to have common apps in place so that documents can be shared between desktop and iPads.

I would say that there would be a few MPs who will use the iPads effectively and will end up saving money because of it. However, that will be offset by the ones who have no clue.

I am wholly for the idea, but we need a raft of MPs who are technically literate. I’ll not be holding my breath on that one.

...and what's the betting that none of them would set a lock password so that the contents can't easily be viewed if it's lost/stolen?

Apple’s iPhone Configuration Utility can enforce such things:

Click for large view - Uploaded with Skitch

Effectively, the IT team has ultimate control over the device or fleet of devices. There is a huge amount if control there, including disabling camera use, FaceTime, whether apps can be installed, etc.. As you can see from the screen grab, there kind of allowable password can be defined, and it would have to be used every time the device is unlocked.

One can only hope that someone in charge of IT at the Palace of Westminster has heard of this app.

If the HoC is running an exchange system (or hosted service that uses it), you can do pretty much the same things in the exchange security policy. Which equally can be enforced.

Basically, if the HoC IT bods have a vague idea what they are doing, they can effectively lock the iPads down to only allow the functions they prefer and only allow the applications they prefer to be on them. It doesn't have to be a free for all if they want it to not be.

Jon

If they're getting iPads instead of new ultra-portable laptops, then it's an obvious saving.

Firstly, much lower cost of ownership due to reduced maintenance, software, training and administration costs
Secondly, lower cost to purchase
Thirdly, they're more likely to be used efficiently by fudidudies because they're easier and simpler

Ive used that trick before, show a really expensive option and then unveil a "lower" cost option and it makes it look like a saving. It isnt a saving its extra cost that will be paid for by the taxypayer.

still justification for spending money for no reason apart from ensuring our beloved MP's have the latest gadget.

Do you believe they wouldn't just claim for a laptop or tablet on expenses anyway? At least if it's regulated, it should be less of a security risk.

A laptop is horrendously more versatile than an iPad, especially for the type of work MPs do. Who's going to tap out endless correspondence on an iPad?

Not MPs because they don't do it anyway, their secretaries do. If they've got half an ounce of sense they dictate that kind of stuff rather than typing it themselves. Which an iPad can do easily. MPs time is expensive and they've got better things to do with it than type out letters. Probably. Very. Slowly.

The significant portions of their job involves

a) Reading correspondance, an increasing portion of which is electronic and most of which is, as a I say, dealt with by staff. They probably have to reply to a few personally, the rest can be dictated and the audio files sent for transcription.
b) Reading documents related to bills in front of the house.
c) Attending meetings either in the house or outside (i.e. stuff requiring a diary) e.g select committees, constituency meetings, dinner with people who have paid a suitcase full of cash into their party's coffers etc...
d) Voting in the house, which is entirely un-electronic.

MPs do little that requires what you'd call 'heavy computational lifting'. Their jobs haven't fundamentally changed since before the computer was a glint in Charles Babbage's eye. There's nothing they can't do on a laptop but equally there's pretty much nothing they can't do on an iPad. If it was me, I'd buy them all dirt cheap laptops (i.e. 300 quid jobs) and lock them down tight but iPads are next cheapest and probably the most convenient for them, and also the most easy to secure and maintain for the civil servants who have that job. An expensive ultra book is actually the worst possible choice - very little extra functionality they'd actually use and less easy and convenient for them to do so, most expensive, hardest to secure and maintain. If they all had to have cars, you wouldn't buy them all Ferraris.

Seriously, what task do you suggest MPs have to do (as oppose to their staff doing it for them) that actually requires a laptop of some sort?

Local network Counterstrike parties?

A back-of-fag-packet calc yields that, if every MP had the top-spec iPad (£659) with a £25/month 5GB data tariff,

• the total cost for all 650 MPs over 3 years would be £1.01 miilion.
• the total cost for all 650 MPs per year would be £337,783
• the cost per member per year would be £519.67

I know it's the done thing to have a go at politics but come on, really? In parliaments past, members were each claiming expenses of more than £300k every year.

This, in terms of overall government spending, really is absolutely bugger all.

I would say you have some potentially false assumptions there. If allowed they would insist that they get a brand new iPad and would start insisting that they need even more data allowance (for research and parlimentary duties of course).
Therefore your over 3 year cost assumptions go up quite considerably. and saying its really bugger all in terms of governemnt expenditure just avoids there is no need for them to have the ipad as a perk of the job. In the words of Tescoes "every little helps".
Even my workplace that has just started to allow iPads onto the work networks and be used for the job. Says if you want one fine have one but you buy it yourself (a company issued data sim will be supplied though). If you want the company to supply one then you get the company issued laptop.