Digital, Data & Technology

GDS's Mike Bracken appointed to new chief data officer role aiming to improve Whitehall's use of data

Government Digital Service to work with local government in major extension of its remit

Success of Government as a Platform to be built on in next parliament

Amendment to Civil Service Code over contact with the media sparks transparency row with trade unions FDA and PCS, but Cabinet Office says it is providing clarity

Chancellor George Osborne's final Budget of the parliament includes move to create online HMRC accounts

Civil service Fast Track apprentice scheme and Fast Stream will include cyber security strands as part of government drive to boost cyber skills 

No Whitehall talks for Sturgeon, off-payroll fines, Maude's Lords rumours & the end of 'catastrophic' Whitehall IT - our regular wrap of Whitehall headlines

The government's customer service must better suit user needs, according to a CSW webchat

Government Digital Services director Mike Bracken predicts shakeup for Whitehall structures as a result of digital service delivery

Cabinet Office releases social media guidance to get more officials online

UK transparency ranking demonstrates “felt accountability”, says Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude

The government has reversed a decision to remove agile development services from the Digital Marketplace after criticisms of their new home on the Digital Services framework (DS).

The civil service’s first chief executive has an ambitious agenda to define the next era of Whitehall reform – whatever those “damn politicians” might be planning. Jess Bowie meets him

The government is to undertake further consultation on proposed new laws aimed at requiring public sector bodies to accept electronic invoices, after a consultation raised fears over costs

Keith Foggon was appointed as the first director of digital forensics and intelligence at the Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA’s) Cartels and Criminal Group (CCG), on Friday 5 December. 

Further cuts and reforms in Whitehall could save an extra £10bn by 2017/18, George Osborne announced in his Autumn Statement earlier today. But where are the cuts coming from?

The Cabinet Office does not maintain a detailed database for grant programmes, so has no way to identify if discrepancies have occurred in the last five years, a National Audit Office (NAO) report revealed today.  

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued 48% more smartphones this year than in 2009. 

The UK is committed to open contracting despite not adopting the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) yet, Open Data Institute (ODI) technical director and Open Contracting Partnership Advisory Board member Jeni Tennison told CSW. 

The department response to the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) has been inconsistent, despite the initiatives potential to help government rebalance the economy by harnessing new technology and creative individuals, said the Centre for Business Research (CBR) at the University of Cambridge in a report published yesterday.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has become a sponsor for TechHub Swansea. Mike Bracken (pictured), head of the Government Digital Service, launched the initiative in Swansea today. 

Dame Fiona Caldicott has been appointed as the first national data guardian for health and social care, secretary of state for health Jeremy Hunt will announce today.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) have now moved their digital Vehicle Management service to private beta.