Mike SimonsThe public accounts watchdog has reacted angrily to a report by
IT suppliers on government IT failures.
David Davis, chairman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee,
has slammed parts of the report, Getting IT Right for Government,
produced by the Computing Services & Software Association
(CSSA) today (Thursday).
"It's like the burglar blaming the policeman," said Davis about
the report.
The report condemned current procurement practice, saying, "it
has the effect of damaging projects before they have even been
established".
Public spending guardians the Public Accounts Committee and
National Audit Office were also in the firing line, with the report
saying they "can have a negative effect. They are seen as a threat
by some civil servants, stifling innovation and proper focus on
value."
John Higgins, director general of the CSSA, said the report
followed months of discussions between IT suppliers and government
IT managers and called for the continuation of discussion through a
high-level forum.
The CSSA report aimed to complement the Cabinet Office Central
IT Unit's Successful IT: Modernising Government in Action report,
published last month, Higgins explained.
Higgins welcomed many of the Cabinet Office's conclusions and
said, "What is critical is that the recommendations of both CSSA
and Citu should be acted on."
However, he added, "We are disappointed that more is not made of
the considerable expertise that suppliers have to offer."
The report said, "Government needs to move away from a tendency
to focus on and consequently use suppliers as scapegoats for
problems."
Davis dismissed this argument as "a hoary old excuse". He said,
"We hear from the civil servants that the Public Accounts Committee
and National Audit Office make them risk averse. The real issue is
that it is necessary to manage risk."
Getting IT Right for Government: key points
- IT suppliers must recognise the constraints and drivers of the
civil servant. Government should adapt its culture and processes
where these are seen to be creating barriers against successful
projects
- The formation of a joint Government and industry senior forum
is essential
- Each project must have an empowered champion at senior level
who is accountable for its success