Features
PublicTechnology’s biggest stories of the year
A reminder of the shocks, scandals and success stories that shaped the world of government technology in 2022
Valuable advice – inside the Government Office for Technology Transfer
The newly established GOTT aims to help agencies realise the value of their assets. Its chief...
Common complaints – why the ICO is considering revamping FOI casework
A ‘perfect storm’ of factors helped create a significant backlog of information-access...
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EXCL: Government warned of ‘serious risk’ to services as UKCloud customers hit with sevenfold price increase
Customers that cannot pay fees seven times higher than contracted price face a race against time to migrate data from collapsed £40m public sector hosting firm. PublicTechnology investigates.
'A lack of transparency and accountability' – DWP urged to shed light on fraud algorithm
The DWP has revealed it is using artificial intelligence to help detect fraud. But, as PublicTechnology discovers, some are concerned that it needs to reveal a lot more about how it does so.
No one is an island: How Caribbean states are working together to tackle cybercrime
Members of the Caribbean Community are working through an action plan to harmonise laws, increase investigative skills and broaden international cooperation. PublicTechnology finds out more.
EXCL: Trader woes – inside customs firms’ months of HMRC struggle
As work continues on the imminent switch-off of the UK’s 30-year-old customs IT platform, many of its users believed that issues with government internal systems meant that they too were facing imminent closure. PublicTechnology investigates.
‘These are fundamental to empowering individuals’ – ICO takes action against departments and councils over data requests
Ministry of Defence and Home Office are among those reprimanded over major backlogs that caused ‘significant distress’ to individuals. PublicTechnology finds out more.
Departments vary in civil servants’ enthusiasm to return to Whitehall HQs
Department for Education’s Sanctuary Buildings saw occupancy double after Jacob Rees-Mogg’s letter in mid-April
‘Sustained leadership and focus’ – how the government can keep its data ambitions on track
PublicTechnology listened in as senior officials and commercial partners got together to discuss how better sharing and use of data can help transform citizen services
Singapore: How a 'government concierge' is helping close the digital exclusion gap
The Government Digital Service recently renewed its collaboration agreement with an overseas counterpart whose achievements it would surely love to emulate. PublicTechnology finds out more.
Government’s cyber plan delivers ‘a complete revolution in how we provide assurance’
The recently published Government Cyber Security Strategy set out a range of ambitions to make the public sector safer. PublicTechnology gathered a panel of experts to find out more about how it will do so.
Technology, transformation and talent: is the public sector meeting its biggest reform challenges?
Local and central government experts joined a recent PublicTechnology webinar discussion exploring strategies to modernise public services and their progress so far
Digital minister: ‘I’m one up from a Luddite – but I am grasping this enthusiastically’
PublicTechnology met with the recently appointed Heather Wheeler, who reveals that overcoming difficulties with tech has been ‘an absolute joy’ – although she still appears to have some challenges with unfortunate remarks
Great expectations: Government unveils new digital and data strategy
A new three-year plan sets out ambitious objectives for departments’ use of tech, including a commitment to improve scores of the biggest citizen services. PublicTechnology gets the lowdown from civil service chief operating officer Alex Chisholm.
Technology vs ideology: what will define the future of government work?
A recent PublicTechology webinar discussion saw an expert panel examine the major issues that will shape how civil servants work for years to come
EXCL: Wall of silence surrounds plan for nationwide collection of citizens’ internet records
Online notice reveals controversial trials are to be expanded into a national service – about which government, law enforcement, watchdogs and all the UK’s major ISPs declined to answer questions from PublicTechnology
Supercharged: Inside the ONS plan to become a data-science 'powerhouse'
Five years after being established, the Data Science Campus of the ONS wants to do more to help address government's biggest policy issues – while still retaining its innovative edge. PublicTechnology finds out more.
‘Typical hostile environment treatment’ – Home Office leaves thousands of Turkish nationals waiting more than a year for visa decisions
Applicants tell PublicTechnology that they have been provided with little information on the processing delays that mean they cannot leave the UK – even for births or funerals – and struggle to prove their right to live and work in this country
‘HMRC is on track to break up our largest IT contracts – and create the organisation we need for the future’
In this exclusive Q&A – and ahead of a keynote presentation at PublicTechnology Live this month – the tax agency’s CDIO Daljit Rehal discusses his transformation priorities, including reforming the supply chain, tackling legacy IT, and a major push towards low code
'We want to set the digital agenda with and for Wales'
The Welsh Government has created an agency to drive technology innovation throughout the country’s public services. Its recently appointed co-leaders, Harriet Green and Myra Hunt, tell PublicTechnology about their digital plans for the nation
UK’s asylum backlog has doubled since 2020 – and Home Office cannot say how many interviews it conducted last year
Information is not in a ‘reportable format’ according to immigration Kevin Foster, as other data shows more than 85,000 are now waiting for a decision – and department declines to provide an update on new casework system
EXCL: Government withholds information on anti-disinformation unit
PublicTechnology’s attempts to find out more about the Counter-Disinformation Unit were rebuffed after a minister was consulted
Can government destroy its legacy?
As much as half of government’s near-£5bn annual spend on IT is dedicated to the maintenance of ageing or unsupported tech. A range of digital leaders tell PublicTechnology about the issues they face with legacy, and how they can be addressed.