MPs have slammed the government's failure to make more information available to parliament on expensive IT projects.

The Commons work and pensions committee said the views put forward by the government "fail to address the spirit and letter" of its recent recommendations.

The criticism came as the committee published the Department of Work and Pensions' response to a previous report on major computer projects.

After a series of IT initiatives that are costing taxpayers billions of pounds, the committee published a report in August calling for greater accountability from ministers.

The report asked, among other things, for implementation assessments and risk management surveys to be made available to MPs and peers before contracts are signed with the private sector.

But the department's response left the cross-party committee distinctly underwhelmed.

It cited commercial confidentiality and pledged only to go as far as new freedom of information laws require.

"The department acknowledges the committee's concerns in this area and is committed to improving the basis upon which decisions regarding implementation and management of risks are made," the response said.

"The Cabinet has agreed that no new IT dependent government initiative, including legislation, should be announced before analysis of implementation options and risks has been undertaken."

However it fell short of promising to consult MPs, saying only: "The government values its interaction with parliament on the broader issues around implementation of policies and its approach in general to these issues.

"It sees individual decisions as a matter for the department and its ministers."

Committee chairman Sir Archy Kirkwood said he was "very dissatisfied with the government's response".

"The government's record on IT projects needs to get better. We produced a well-argued report into how the government's record on IT projects could be improved," he said.

"Our report was widely recognised throughout the media and industry as a solid piece of work with a set of impressive recommendations.

"However, we have received a response from the department that all too often does not fully engage with the letter or spirit of the report's recommendations.

"In particular, the committee sets out an overwhelming case why parliament and the public require more detailed information about IT projects, including the business case.

"But instead of addressing the committee's concern, the department defends its secretive approach on grounds of commercial confidentiality and says that it will make information available in the context of the Freedom of Information Act. This isn't good enough."