A high-level government review of public service delivery published with next week’s pre-Budget report will put IT projects at the top of ministerial agendas.
In an exclusive interview with Computing, chief secretary to the Treasury Stephen Timms said the report by former HM Revenue & Customs chief executive David Varney on improving government services will include a strong technology component.
‘I am an enthusiast for the potential for IT-enabled business change in government, and I anticipate a good deal of scope indicated in David Varney’s report for substantial improvements enabled by IT,’ said Timms.
Varney’s recommendations coincide with departmental budget negotiations and the Transformational Government agenda set out last November, both of which have a strong technology focus.
The Timms-led cabinet committee on electronic service delivery, called PSX(e), will be central to implementing Varney’s recommendations and will ensure ministerial involvement in IT.
‘The review gives us an opportunity to make progress, and as PSX(e) chairman I envisage an important role in taking that forward,’ said Timms.
The involvement of ministers could improve the patchy performance of public sector IT projects.
Last week the National Audit Office (NAO) reported that ministerial engagement in major IT programmes is an important factor in their success.
At the Public Accounts Committee this week, both Ian Watmore, head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit and architect of the Transformational Government strategy, and John Oughton, head of Whitehall buying agency the Office of Government Commerce, stressed the importance of IT programmes being closely aligned with ministers’ priorities.
‘There is no such thing as an IT project, only a business change project, because if you describe something as IT it does not connect to the ministerial agenda,’ said Watmore.
‘If an initiative is designed as an IT programme it is doomed. It has to be for a purpose backed by ministers in that department.’
Oughton said: ‘Ministers should receive information on IT programmes frequently enough to discharge their responsibilities.’
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