UCL Group Plc has made its second acquisition since going public in April (CI No 668) and its third in 12 months, paying an undisclosed sum for Northern Bank Ltd’s Belfast-based computer subsidiary. Payroll bureau and software developer Northern Computing Ltd lost money in the year to October 1987 on turnover of UKP664,000. UCL hopes to turn it round quickly by selling its Pick-based payroll software in Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland. UCL is also hoping that its new purchase will help it penetrate government accounts in Northern Ireland. Northern Computing’s 36-strong team will be strengthened by additional programmers, analysts and sales people. At the start of last year, UCL bought Nexel Ltd (CI No 606) for UKP1.3m, going on to take Computer Factors Ltd (CI No 786) in October.