Ministers were today (25 January) hoping to officially launch the
Government Gateway, the middleware project that will allow legacy
systems in different departments to talk to each other.
James RogersGateway is the key to offering information focused on citizens
rather than civil servants, and services to the public. It will be
backed by a new project for secure transactions on the
Internet.
Cabinet Office minister Ian McCartney is expected to announce
that VAT returns to Customs & Excise and PAYE returns to the
Inland Revenue will be among the first transactions to be available
online.
Last November, the Cabinet Office pulled the plug on a
Compaq-led consortium and took charge of the Gateway project
itself. Microsoft, Cable & Wireless and Viacode - the Royal
Mail's digital security service - were enlisted to provide the
technology, with PA Consulting delivering support services.
james.rogers@rbi.co.uk