PublicTechnology.net

Experts say HMRC's online tool to help contractors calculate tax status is 'not fit for purpose' as effects of IR35 reforms start to bite

The Government Digital Service’s notification service has gone live across all central government departments, with local government – and letters – next on the team’s list.

The government has been urged to focus on speeding up move to digital healthcare records amid accusations that the NHS covered up the loss of more than half a million pieces of confidential patient data over five years.

The government has said it will extend its use of virtual hearings, and install booths in courtrooms to allow the media and the public to observe such hearings.

The chief executive of the civil service has said that the now scrapped NHS patient data-sharing programme Care.data was a “misstep” that put efforts to increase government data sharing back.

There were 7.4 million people using a digital personal tax account by the end of 2016 – 400,000 more than its initial target – according to HMRC’s quarterly performance figures.

HMRC has said that it will develop its identity assurance solution to replace Government Gateway when it ends in March 2018 – rather than using the government’s flagship GOV.UK Verify.

The minister responsible for overseeing the creation of the Universal Credit programme has said that Whitehall's outsourcing of IT is a “fundamental mistake” and that government needs to work to attract more digital talent.

The government has taken too long to consolidate and coordinate the “alphabet soup” of cyber security agencies and faces “a real struggle” to find staff with the right skills to tackle threats, MPs have said.

HMRC has said it will pilot its digital tax reforms on “hundreds of thousands” of businesses before roll out, but has maintained its initial timeline for implementation – despite MPs branding it “wholly unrealistic”.

A government document has revealed the patient information sharing agreements between NHS Digital and the Home Office, while data shows that more than 8,000 requests were made in 2016.

The new National Cyber Security Centre is attempting to improve gender equality in the IT sector by launching a competition for budding female techies.

IT failures and an inability to cope with the volume of calls led to the early termination of an Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs contract with supplier Concentrix, according to a spending watchdog.

Much of the digital information that government has amassed over the past two decades is poorly organised and “almost impossible” to search, a Cabinet Office report has said.

The UK’s tax authority is this month launching a trial for customers to use voice ID to speed up security steps.

The government’s timeline for implementing plans to digitise record keeping and reporting of tax is “wholly unrealistic” and should be delayed until at least 2019-20, the House of Commons Treasury Committee has said.

Governments need to stop relying on outsourcing and make sure they have competent public servants who can deal with technology, the former leader of the Australia’s Digital Transformation Office has said.

The prime minister Theresa May has announced plans to improve online advice and information on mental health and increase the use of digitally assisted therapies.

The cross-government network for civil servants specialising in procurement is recruiting for a number of senior digital and technology roles for people, including the position of commercial director of IT for HMRC.

The association of IT and digital professionals in local government has announced its plans for 2017 research and policy projects.

As the New Year approaches, PublicTechnology takes a look at what we might expect in the world of digital government in 2017.