Government launches phase two of Gov.uk

New site will be live for six weeks to test a shared publishing system across government departments

The government has launched phase two of the Gov.uk site, which aims to provide a single point of access to government information and services.

The site, which will eventually replace the Directgov service, is currently still in its beta phase. Today's launch adds new pages to the site to show more detail on how government works, and what it is currently doing.

It will be live for six weeks to test a shared publishing system, with the initial participation of 10 government departments.

Commenting on the launch, Minister for Cabinet Office Francis Maude (pictured) said that the service will make it easier for the public to get the information they need from the government, while reducing the overall cost to the taxpayer.

"[UK Digital Champion] Martha Lane-Fox was clear in her review that people shouldn't have to wade through the complex structure of government to find what they need and today we move another step closer to a single government domain.

"This will not only make it easier for the public to find what they want but it will also be better value for taxpayers. We have radically reduced the number of existing websites and introduced strict rules for those that remain.

"We believe that government use of the web must not only be useful, it must be cost-effective."