December 2007 Archives

The growing flood of data leak stories means that few, if any, large UK public sector ICT programmes will be progressed until political confidence is rebuilt. That is a major challenge for an industry that has lost touch with reality

The National Audit Office has just reported on the quality of the data systems used to measure progress against the hundred or so public service agreements that were set in the 2004 spending review.

I have grown more than a little tired of listening to the ICT industry lecturing HMG on how to use its products and services to deliver joined-up services. Talk of the pot calling the kettle black.

The announcements this week of further data losses result from a flurry of overdue reviews across Whitehall. But attention is still focussed on "data protection" rather than "information risk management". It therefore risks doing more harm than good.

I got the name wrong. It is sousveillance not su-veillance, but we have now seen the concept at work over the past couple of weeks, as e-mails leak and the omni-incompetance of our over-centralised bureaucracies is exposed.

The Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is to conduct an enquiry into "Funding for Equivalent and Lower Qualifications (ELQs)". It is the cuts in these which threaten to wipe out ICT conversion and updating courses.

I have just received the letter asking for inputs to the independent review requested by the Prime Minister. Inputs to this review will be discussed at most of my meetings tomorrow. What will you be doing to help?

Nearly 130 MPs have now signed a motion opposing the ending of funding for the part time degree courses used by many of you to acquire or update the skills you need in order to remain employable.

"Su-veillance" is when residents of all ages (teenagers to silver surfers) use mobile phones et al to record their dealings with "authority" and post the results on youtube: customer feedback in action - whether you want it or not.

Recent revelations and those yet to come, including from the private sector, threaten untold damage to trust in the on-line world. The time has come to transform attitudes towards information risk management.

The petition on the No 10 calling for urgent action on an NHTCU replacement has been signed by two of the House of Lords Committee on Personal Internet Safety, many leading lights of the ICT world and not a few journalists