Treasury rethinks IT reviews

Problems with the rural payments system left farmers £22m short

The government is reconsidering the confidentiality of its Gateway project monitoring system following sustained pressure to publish the key findings of IT progress reviews.

The move would be a major about-turn for the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) scheme, whose traffic light-rated reports have, until now, been kept firmly under wraps.

In the government’s most definite statement so far, Treasury minister John Healey told MPs last week that despite concerns ‘about compromising the value and purpose’ of the system, changes have not been ruled out.

‘I confirm that I am considering the general approach to the release of information on Gateway reviews,’ he said.

Healey was responding to questions from Richard Bacon, a member of the influential Commons’ Public Accounts Committee. Bacon says publication of the Rural Payments Agency’s red reviews could have averted farmers facing £22m shortfalls last year (Computing, 19 October).

Because concerns remained secret, civil servants were able to ‘power on regardless’, Bacon told Computing. ‘I hope that this statement augurs a significant change in direction,’ he said.

Gateway secrecy is also under pressure from the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. The Information Tribunal is considering an OGC appeal against the release of reviews of the controversial ID card scheme under FoI.

And while the tribunal findings, due imminently, will not set a precedent in the strict legal sense, the Information Commission says they will inform future decisions.

But concessions are being strongly resisted and some insiders say confidentiality is crucial.

‘If reviews are published and people can no longer be open, then Gateway ceases to be valid,’ said a senior source.

A recently-created Treasury board, which can mandate remedial action in a way Gateway teams cannot, is a more effective way to improve project delivery, say sources.

The government needs to balance frank inquiry with the need for accountability, says Eric Woods, government practice director at analyst Ovum.

‘The public sector needs to be clear about what choices are being made – and that could be done better with more openness in Gateway reviews,’ he said.