Confusion reigns over government IT responsibility

Let's take a waltz through central government.

It's great to see IT issues being taken seriously in Whitehall – or not. Ministerial responsibility for IT has been split three ways by new business secretary Peter Mandelson - between Stephen Carter, Ian Pearson and Pat Mcfadden within the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) as part of the latest Cabinet reshuffle.

Broadly Carter is covering IT services and ISPs, Ian Pearson looks after WEEE compliance and Pat Mcfadden is responsible for transformational government, according to the BERR press release.

Interesting to see BERR has taken responsibility for transformational government – a huge project that will see government sharing systems and moving its services online.

Except - according to the Cabinet Office - they haven't. "Tom Watson is still minister for transformational government and responsibilities for the programme remains within the Cabinet Office," said a spokesman.

So what's Mcfadden got to do with it? Nobody within BERR seems to know. "We're still outlining briefs," said a spokesman.

It doesn't help that to get the direct line of Pat Mcfadden's press officer, the BERR web site tells me I have to refer to the IPO Whitebook.

The Central Office of Information tells me I can get a copy of the Whitebook/IPO directory by writing to: The White Book, PO Box 2004, Burgess Hill, West Sussex. RH15 8WU.

Except it’s only published twice a year, so by the time I get hold of it most of the numbers – let alone ministerial responsibilities - will be out of date.

Oh yes, and I have to send them a cheque for £20. To get the phone number of someone whose wages we (the taxpayer) pay so I can find out what someone else whose wages we (the taxpayer) pay is actually being paid to do (by us).

So far, so transparent. Let's look closer at Pearson's brief.

He's responsible for "waste electrical and electronic equipment issues".

So that's compliance with the WEEE directive then. Which was previously the responsibility of the Environment Agency, a Non-Departmental Public Body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Except according to the Environment Agency it still is their responsibility. Them and local councils.

Defra itself is being split as part of the same reshuffle, with the "environment" part going to the Department of Energy and Climate Change along with responsibilities for energy, which came from BERR, bringing us nicely full circle. Although Defra will still be responsible for "adaptation" to climate change. Obviously.

It's enough to make the most hard-core socialist turn in desperation to unfettered capitalism. Oh no…not much joy there either.