The e-minister plans to make interoperability standards mandatory,
in pursuit of open government
The Government has taken a major step towards overcoming the
problem of incompatible data systems and standards by adopting the
XML Internet mark-up language as standard, writes Mike
Simons.
In an announcement that will have ramifications far beyond
central government, Patricia Hewitt, the cabinet minister in charge
of e-government, said, "As part of the Government's corporate IT
strategy, we intend to make it mandatory to implement a standard
for interoperability. We propose to put in place Internet protocol
standards and XML will be at the heart of that policy."
The choice of XML was announced to business software developers
at the Annual General Meeting of BASDA (The Business &
Accounting Software Developers Association) last week.
In a wide-ranging speech, Hewitt said the Government's biggest
problem in developing its IT strategy was the number of
incompatible systems and data standards already in place. She said
this problem was not unique, however, and acknowledged that many
large commercial organisations have experienced similar
difficulties.
"We must get the framework right," she emphasised. "We can't
just talk about it. We need to show that the UK leads the world in
the adoption of modern electronic communication standards."
Hewitt's speech also contained a warning that the Government's
proposed target for the electronic delivery of services is likely
to be tightened considerably.
"We have already begun to review the targets we set last year
for 25% of communication with government to be available
electronically by 2002, 50% by 2005 and 100% by 2008," said Hewitt.
"It is probable that those timescales will be shortened
considerably."
The message for local authorities and other organisations
working with central and local Government is plain - standardise on
XML and speed up your programme to deliver services online.
You have been warned.
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us.
Web sites
Government agencies are launching a string of new Web sites in a
bid to meet Tony Blair's Modernising Government agenda.
The Lord Chancellor's Department has launched Just Ask! - a new
and innovative Web site for the Community Legal Service.
Just Ask! is a portal that contains a
directory of more than 15,000 quality-assured sources of
community legal advice and covers a wide range of issues
including child custody, education, housing and immigration. It
features multilingual information, audio screen reader
compatibility and an extensive search facility.
The independent financial services watchdog the
Financial Services Authority has a new section
on its Web site for consumers, called Consumer Help.