Departing Land Registry chief Simon Hayes talks lockdown, hybrid working and fighting the perfect storm of staff shortages and record demand
03 Sep Digital, Data & Technology

Departing Land Registry chief Simon Hayes talks lockdown, hybrid working and fighting the perfect storm of staff shortages and record demand

Hayes reflects on transformation, choices and challenges at HMLR as he departs after six years in post to become chief exec at Sports England
by Jess Bowie
Government to create data protection team to boost cross-department compliance
28 Oct Digital, Data & Technology
Government to create data protection team to boost cross-department compliance
MPs grill Legal Aid Agency over cyberattack that prompted system shutdown
24 Oct Digital, Data & Technology
MPs grill Legal Aid Agency over cyberattack that prompted system shutdown
Cabinet Office given responsibility for Digital ID policy
24 Oct Digital, Data & Technology
Cabinet Office given responsibility for Digital ID policy
Civil servants warned of spying link to social media contacts
20 Apr 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Civil servants warned of spying link to social media contacts
MI5 says more than 10,000 incidents have been recorded as campaign flags threat from fake business profiles
Defra seeks leader to realise potential of HR data
30 Mar 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Defra seeks leader to realise potential of HR data
Lead sought for transformation programme that aims to make better use of workforce data
Making contact: the inside story of how the government’s Covid app was developed
29 Mar 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Making contact: the inside story of how the government’s Covid app was developed
More than 20 million UK citizens have downloaded the NHS Covid-19 app. One of the leaders of the development process discusses its impact and future plans with Sam Trendall
Data insight is the holy grail of better government decision-making Sponsored
29 Mar 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Data insight is the holy grail of better government decision-making
Government is the mother of all data repositories, but Rohan Malik, Managing Partner for Government and Infrastructure at EY, argues that it needs to use this data well to realise its full potential
MPs find government has ‘presented pandemic data to provoke anxiety, rather than understand risk’
19 Mar 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
MPs find government has ‘presented pandemic data to provoke anxiety, rather than understand risk’
Parliamentary committee calls for more transparency in use of information and accuses Michael Gove of being ‘contemptuous of parliament’
Dominic Cummings rails against Treasury for ‘horrific’ impact on science funding
19 Mar 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Dominic Cummings rails against Treasury for ‘horrific’ impact on science funding
Advanced Research and Invention Agency needs “extreme freedom” from civil service bureaucracy, procurement rules, business cases and pay scales says PM’s former chief spad
PM sets out 10-year foreign-policy vision for ‘increased international activism’
16 Mar 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
PM sets out 10-year foreign-policy vision for ‘increased international activism’
Integrated review of security and defence eyes “tilt to the Indo-Pacific” and new tech hubs
Border tech failures ramp up Home Office’s ‘miserable’ digital record, MPs warn
12 Mar 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Border tech failures ramp up Home Office’s ‘miserable’ digital record, MPs warn
Report blames “lack of effective leadership, management and oversight” for £173m cost of delayed Digital Services at the Border programme
Interview: deputy national statistician on legacy tech, lockdowns and a ‘leap forward’ for government’s use of data
11 Mar 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Interview: deputy national statistician on legacy tech, lockdowns and a ‘leap forward’ for government’s use of data
Alison Pritchard on plans for the 2021 census, ensuring public trust in statistics – and her next epic boat journey
Gove and Hancock rebuked for failing to appear before Covid-19 probe
24 Feb 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Gove and Hancock rebuked for failing to appear before Covid-19 probe
PACAC chair William Wragg says cabinet ministers should not “shy away from scrutiny”
NAO finds government struggled with data needed to build shielding list
12 Feb 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
NAO finds government struggled with data needed to build shielding list
Report finds 126,000 people were told to shield unnecessarily, as well as 30,000 who had already died
‘Bad Science’ author Ben Goldacre to review research use of health data
11 Feb 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
‘Bad Science’ author Ben Goldacre to review research use of health data
Head of Oxford University DataLab to report findings in April
DCMS upgrades Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation role
09 Feb 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
DCMS upgrades Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation role
Department advertises for executive director to lead data-driven technology governance body
Government comms ‘need overhaul’ after Covid-19 blunders and spin
01 Feb 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Government comms ‘need overhaul’ after Covid-19 blunders and spin
Fact-checking charity calls for inquiry and says civil service analysts should brief the press on complex issues
DfE laptops for home-schooling found to contain malware
26 Jan 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
DfE laptops for home-schooling found to contain malware
‘Small number’ of machines affected by what users say is a worm that contacts Russian servers
Opinion: What Covid revealed about government’s legacy IT, and what to do next
26 Jan 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Opinion: What Covid revealed about government’s legacy IT, and what to do next
The coronavirus pandemic pressed unprecedented stress on government’s technology systems. Many parts of the system coped well, but it also revealed problems that must be addressed to avoid future crisis, says Reform's director of research, Eleonora Harwich
Was 2020 a watershed for public sector use of algorithms?
25 Jan 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Was 2020 a watershed for public sector use of algorithms?
Last year saw public protests about the use of predictive analytics in decision making. As the technology becomes more widely used in many public services, Sam Trendall asks experts about the implications for government, the law – and the citizens affected
HMRC pledges to publish more data on unpaid tax
15 Jan 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
HMRC pledges to publish more data on unpaid tax
But government rejects MPs’ call for sector breakdowns and a headline uncertainty figure
Government shakes up digital leadership
14 Jan 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Government shakes up digital leadership
Home Office tech chief Davinson appointed leader of newly created Central Digital and Data Office while Read arrives from MoJ to head up GDS
HMRC records 12% spike in complaints as customer-service issues continue
11 Jan 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
HMRC records 12% spike in complaints as customer-service issues continue
November stats show another increase in call-waiting times and new struggles with answering online and postal queries
Government ‘working towards’ publishing new digital strategy this year
07 Jan 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Government ‘working towards’ publishing new digital strategy this year
Plan was due to be published in autumn last year
Net zero, a new supercomputer, COP26 and a Met Office restructure: Prof Penelope Endersby looks ahead to 2021
22 Dec 2020 Digital, Data & Technology
Net zero, a new supercomputer, COP26 and a Met Office restructure: Prof Penelope Endersby looks ahead to 2021
2020 was a year unlike any other, with the coronavirus pandemic upending the work of government and changing how we live our daily lives. Senior figures from across the civil service tell us how the unprecedented 12 months affected them, and look ahead to 2021
Cabinet Office ‘doesn’t have the data’ to fix civil service skills gaps
11 Dec 2020 Digital, Data & Technology
Cabinet Office ‘doesn’t have the data’ to fix civil service skills gaps
MPs say crisis has been exacerbated by short-termism, pay restrictions and significant salary disparities between departments
ONS makes ‘milestone’ move to boost trust in government data
07 Dec 2020 Digital, Data & Technology
ONS makes ‘milestone’ move to boost trust in government data
Statistics body floats quality framework to help departments improve their data use