Ministers have called for an "urgent review" into how software programmes for Foreign and Commonwealth Office computers are set for a budget overrun of £29 million.

Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell last night outlined a substantial overspend in his department's Firecrest IT system.

While the system itself came in under budget, the costs for the Prism - human resources, financial and management accounting - and the Focus - a global FCO registry and intranet - programmes have soared.

Budgeted at £80 million, the Prism bill is now expected to hit £90 million.

The estimate for the Focus system has risen from an initial £23 million to £42 million "because of the increased scope of the project".

The soaring cash estimates are latest to hit the government.

The FCO's office-wide system has been developed since 1997 and covers over 10,000 staff all over the world.

It has an annual running cost totalling £19 million.

"Given the scale of the increase and other relevant factors the secretary of state is conducting an urgent review of the whole future of this programme," said Rammell.