Ministers should be more open about the technology projects that departments are implementing, a committee of MPs has said.

A report published on Thursday by the work and pensions select committee found that there was a lack of compliance with "best practice" rules for large information and communications technology projects.

As a result, large sums of public money are being wasted said the MPs.

The conclusions came as the MPs set out the results of an eight month inquiry into the IT modernisation programme of the Department of Work and Pensions.

Among the recommendations were calls for greater openness from government, with the business case for each project being published so that parliament and the public can assess the proposals and their planning.

While public technology projects have suffered a range of embarrassing setbacks, the MPs found that the problem was not a shortage of information about best practice, but a lack of compliance with those rules.

There was also too much focus on technology and not enough on business transformation, they added.

The report highlights the problems of the flawed telephony and computer system used by the Child Support Agency.

It says the new computer system, which is causing problems for thousands of clients, is "over-spec, over-budget and overdue".

"Failing IT systems are an appalling waste of public money and cause distress to thousands of people," said committee chairman Sir Archy Kirkwood.

"Improving the success rate of IT projects would produce enormous benefits for clients, taxpayers, DWP staff and IT suppliers.

"Government has produced a mountain of guidance to encourage successful IT projects, but there's no way for parliament or the public to know whether it's being followed - until the IT fails and then it's too late."