The Department intended that the NLEDS programme would combine the PNC with the PND, which was over-optimistic given the time originally available, but has now decided that the NLEDS programme will focus on replacing the PNC alone. In December 2020, the Department removed the PND from the scope of the NLEDS programme and it will now be maintained as a standalone system until 2031.49 There had been various changes in plans for what priority to give the PND in the programme, or indeed whether to make it an optional element, before the decision to remove the PND from the scope of NLEDS entirely.50