Logica has inked a four-year IT development and support deal with the Home Office for the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) and the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), which will investigate people seeking to work with children and vulnerable adults.

The company will design, build, host, and support application services and also provide vital data assurance and disaster recovery capabilities.

According to Ovum, while Logica's commercial sector business suffered major revenue falls in 2007, its UK Government business grew by 10% to £372 million, predominantly boosted by its DISC application services contract win with the Department for Constitutional Affairs in 2006.

Like the DISC contract, this latest win plays to Logica's strengths, says Ovum. “Application management services is considered to be one of the company's core competencies and it also has a strong track record in the 'justice and home affairs' market (other clients include the Crown Prosecution Service and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform).

“In addition, while the application development and support market in the UK is under particular pressure from the Indian vendors (with Logica some way behind its peers in developing its offshore capability), this remains less of an issue in data-sensitive areas of UK government such as 'justice and home affairs'.”