Science Update: Royal omission

THE QUEEN is side-stepping European Commission rules by failing to disclose computer contracts funded by taxpayers, according to Computer Weekly.

The magazine claims that Treasury officials said they regard the royal household as a private purchaser, so have not included the Queen's systems on a list of public bodies which must meet EC directives. The regulations aim to ensure that companies in Europe and elsewhere can bid for large public sector projects.

New computer systems, including some that will help to evaluate the Queen's wealth, are paid for through the Civil List. But the Queen's officials have invited only a select list of companies to bid, the magazine says.

It claims that one project, designed to bring together details of one million royal treasures, costs more than pounds 500,000 - three times the value at which public bodies must go to open tender under the EC rules.