York MP Hugh Bayley has told how he spent Millennium Eve with other Government Ministers, keeping watch on how the nation was coping with the Millennium Bug and other potential problems.

Mr Bayley, a social security minister, sat on the Civil Contingencies Committee at the Cabinet Office, chaired by Home Secretary Jack Straw, throughout the night.

The committee was briefed at a series of meetings on how computer systems in Britain and around the world were coping with the changeover to the year 00. "Our first meeting was at 7.30pm to look at what had happened in New Zealand, Japan and Australia. Our embassies were reporting back on what was happening there.

"As far as the UK is concerned, all the preparations paid off. Things can go wrong by accident but they don't go right by accident."

Mr Bayley said there were no problems reported in this country, although there were reports of cashpoint machines failing to work in France and Spain.

He said this might affect the 16,000 British pensioners living in France and 38,000 in Spain, although their pensions had been paid in advance to avoid anyone falling short if such problems arose. The DSS was spending New Year's Day checking that its main benefits agency computer systems were all operating OK and no problems had been reported."

He said millions had celebrated the new Millennium across the UK without any significant public order problems.

The MP added that he managed to leave the committee around midnight to see the fireworks spectacular on the Thames. And, after the committee held its last meeting, he returned to his flat to join his family, who had travelled down to the capital to see in the new Millennium.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.