UK egovernment about to take off, says Accenture

Transformational Government strategy has promise but needs effective implementation

Egovernment in the UK is on the verge of significant progress if current plans for citizen-centric services are put into practice, says consultancy Accenture's annual global survey.

The report does not contain an updated ranking of the egovernment league because it is largely unchanged from last year, says the company. Last year the UK was ranked 12th.

'The UK has been making good advances but other countries are as well,' said Accenture director of UK government business Jeremy Oates.

The world leaders are Canada, the United States, Denmark, Singapore, Australia, France, Japan, Norway, Finland, and Ireland.

The Transformational Government strategy published by the Cabinet Office eGovernment Unit last November could have a significant impact on improving government service provision in the UK, says the report.

Plans such as the appointment of Customer Group Directors to take responsibility for a section of the population, such as the elderly, will help to drive the necessary cross-government links.

'This responsibility will help significantly to create the kind of joined-up government that is necessary to build citizen trust,' said Oates.

'The UK is potentially on the verge of significant and dramatic change,' he said.