News

IT for government and public sector

May 19, 2020 19 May'20
Innovate UK seeks ways to transform aviation with technology

Projects to develop new forms of air transportation can get a share of up to £30m in funding from Innovate UK
May 18, 2020 18 May'20
Privacy advocates demand clarity over Covid-19 datastore

Government and NHS face questions about the involvement of private technology companies with coronavirus datastore
May 18, 2020 18 May'20
NHS Scotland begins contact-tracing tech pilot

Three Scottish health boards are trialling coronavirus contact-tracing software which will be rolled out across the country at the end of this month
May 18, 2020 18 May'20
NHS looks for remote monitoring tech

NHSX is seeking suppliers to help scale up remote monitoring across the health service in England, particularly for Covid-19 patients, and will go out to tender shortly

May 18, 2020 18 May'20
CIO interview: Simon Liste, chief information technology officer, Pension Protection Fund

Experience of delivering digital change in the private sector means the PPF’s IT chief is well positioned to lead transformation in a critical public sector organisation
May 18, 2020 18 May'20
HMRC on the hunt for permanent CDIO

New chief digital and information officer will earn at least £200,000 a year and be responsible for a £1bn tech budget
May 15, 2020 15 May'20
Interview: Bev White, chief executive, Harvey Nash

The Harvey Nash executive talks about recruitment during the coronavirus crisis, a new wave of interest in outsourcing, and leadership skills and challenges
May 15, 2020 15 May'20
Government pushes towards digital to reignite housing market

Minister calls for more virtual viewings and greater use of online tools for planning as the UK prepares to get its housing and construction sector up and running again
May 14, 2020 14 May'20
Harman seeks to bring private member’s bill over contact tracing

Chair of Human Rights Committee aims to put the proposed Contact Tracing (Data Protection) Bill 2020 before parliament as a private member’s bill if necessary
May 13, 2020 13 May'20
Government tells social media companies they must go further to address disinformation

House of Lords committee hears about government collaboration with social media firms to combat pandemic-related disinformation and online harms

May 12, 2020 12 May'20
MPs take part in first live test of remote voting during Covid-19 debate

MPs will use phones and computers to vote from their homes in a House of Commons debate today in the biggest change in parliamentary procedure for 150 years
May 12, 2020 12 May'20
Police failing to consult public on new technologies

A freedom of information campaign has revealed that UK police are largely failing to consult the public on their use of new technologies, with the potential to undermine the principle of policing by consent
May 12, 2020 12 May'20
Government launches online portal to arrange coronavirus testing kits for care homes

UK care homes are now able to digitally arrange deliveries of Covid-19 test kits through the launch of an online portal
May 11, 2020 11 May'20
How Sage scrambled software development team for Job Retention Scheme module

Small team of Sage developers, testers and payroll specialists in race against time to help customers facilitate HMRC’s furlough scheme
May 11, 2020 11 May'20
Scottish government launches tech sector review

Review, to be led by former Skyscanner COO Mark Logan, will look at how tech sector can help Scotland’s economy recover from Covid-19
May 07, 2020 07 May'20
HM Treasury tells GDS: No further online services can use Gov.uk Verify

The recent 18-month reprieve for Verify came with strict conditions – the digital identity scheme must not be added to any more services, and existing users must find alternatives
May 07, 2020 07 May'20
App launched to support social care workers through coronavirus

The Care Workforce tool will be rolled out to 1.5 million professionals as a hub for practical guidance and support
May 07, 2020 07 May'20
Facebook announces oversight board members

New board will rule on freedom of expression issues and make policy recommendations to social media giant.
May 07, 2020 07 May'20
FBI search warrants reveal Trump aide’s messages to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

FBI search warrants reveal Trump campaigner Roger Stone sent private messages to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after the site published thousands of documents that damaged Hillary Clinton’s election campaign
May 06, 2020 06 May'20
Criminal justice system is failing cyber crime victims

Victims of cyber crime face barriers to reporting, receiving support and achieving justice, says a Home Office-backed study
May 06, 2020 06 May'20
Re-purposing data and questionable effectiveness could undermine trust in NHS contact-tracing app

Experts call for greater clarity over how contact-tracing data will be used, while discussing the limitations of the coronavirus app
May 06, 2020 06 May'20
HMRC tackles almost 300 coronavirus phishing websites

Of 292 websites removed since lockdown began on 23 March, 237 were proactively identified by HMRC and 55 were flagged by the public
May 05, 2020 05 May'20
EC calls on the UK to ensure UK-Ireland border customs IT systems are ready

The European Commission has warned that the UK must be ready for IT systems implementation at the Northern Ireland/Ireland border to handle goods
May 04, 2020 04 May'20
Assange extradition hearing to take place in September following coronavirus lockdown

An extradition hearing against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been delayed by four months, after defence and prosecution lawyers said the Covid-19 lockdown would make it impractical to hold a fair hearing in May
May 04, 2020 04 May'20
Coronavirus: UK finance regulator gives more time for payment security compliance

Financial Conduct Authority has extended the deadline for payment processors to meet payment security standard
May 01, 2020 01 May'20
Treasury gives Gov.uk Verify 18-month reprieve due to coronavirus

The government's troubled digital identity system was due to end funding in April 2020 but surge in use due to Universal Credit applications has brought a temporary reprieve
May 01, 2020 01 May'20
No going back to packed workplaces after Covid-19

A recent project by IT service providers outlines how, in a post-coronavirus world, businesses like Barclays Bank will reduce their reliance on skyscrapers packed with people
May 01, 2020 01 May'20
Subpostmasters receive their ‘inadequate’ damages over Horizon IT scandal

Subpostmasters who had their lives ruined by the Post Office’s faulty IT system have received their damages after a High Court victory
May 01, 2020 01 May'20
HMCTS deploys video platform for remote hearings during Covid-19

Magistrates’ and crown courts will use platform to conduct remote criminal hearings during the coronavirus pandemic
April 30, 2020 30 Apr'20
Coronavirus: UKCloud and VMware join forces to meet public sector demand for remote desktops

Public sector-focused IaaS provider UKCloud forges closer ties with VMware to meet the public sector demand for “government-grade” remote desktop technology
April 30, 2020 30 Apr'20
UK government secures Microsoft Azure discounts for public sector

Procurement chiefs at the Crown Commercial Service have secured an addendum to a long-standing Microsoft preferential pricing deal that now includes Azure public cloud services
April 30, 2020 30 Apr'20
GPs embrace virtual consultations to navigate Covid-19 outbreak

The majority of GPs across England are now operating with video meetings and more virtual services are being developed
April 30, 2020 30 Apr'20
Coronavirus: Government under pressure to give limited company IT workers more financial support

IT contractors who provide services through their own limited companies and pay themselves in dividends are largely uncatered for by the goverment's various coronavirus-focused business support packages, and are facing financial difficulties
April 29, 2020 29 Apr'20
Coronavirus: GCHQ gets access to NHS data to beef up security

Health secretary gave GCHQ emergency powers to obtain information relating to the security of its networks and IT systems at the beginning of April, it has emerged
April 28, 2020 28 Apr'20
NHSX on track for May launch of Covid-19 contact-tracing app but challenges remain

Leading UK scientific experts assure MPs that much-anticipated application will be ready for launch in May but concede that challenges exist on achieving meaningful uptake
April 28, 2020 28 Apr'20
Worcestershire County Council turns to low code in coronavirus response effort

The county council of Worcestershire is using the OutSystems low-code platform to develop five apps to support internal staff and external volunteers during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic
April 28, 2020 28 Apr'20
Met Police assessing evidence of potential perjury in Post Office IT trials

Force examines information about evidence given in court by Fujitsu staff on the Horizon IT system before deciding whether to investigate further
April 27, 2020 27 Apr'20
Scottish Tech Army seeks out IT experts to combat Covid-19

Tech workers who find themselves out of work are being asked to volunteer their time to help build digital technology to support coronavirus efforts
April 27, 2020 27 Apr'20
Julian Assange extradition hearing postponed amid coronavirus lockdown

Julian Assange’s lawyers say they have been unable to communicate or share legal documents with the WikiLeaks founder to enable them to prepare a defence in time for a planned extradition hearing in May
April 27, 2020 27 Apr'20
UK tech companies launch online safety body

Online Safety Tech Industry Association unites 14 technology companies to drive conversation and policy around online safeguarding
April 27, 2020 27 Apr'20
GP Connect to enable patient information sharing in Covid-19 outbreak

Past and present medical details will be shared across primary care during the emergency period
April 27, 2020 27 Apr'20
IR35 off-payroll rules have ‘never worked satisfactorily’, rules Finance Bill Sub-Committee

An inquiry into the government’s plans to extend the IR35 reforms to the private sector concludes that the roll-out should be delayed because the entire off-payroll legislation is flawed and in need of a revamp
April 24, 2020 24 Apr'20
Coronavirus: UK schools will get tech support from Google and Microsoft

Government hires tech giants to provide remote working resources to children while schools are closed
April 24, 2020 24 Apr'20
Coronavirus: Dutch Covid-19 tracking app stirs national debate

Privacy concerns raised over mobile app to help track and control the spread of coronavirus in the Netherlands
April 24, 2020 24 Apr'20
How likely are IT service providers to offer discounts in an unprecedented global recession?

As the global economy slows, businesses are trying to cut costs, with IT services one of the first stops – but what are the chances of a happy outcome?
April 24, 2020 24 Apr'20
Government urges parents to keep children safe during lockdown

The UK government has published more guidance for parents in an attempt to limit children's exposure to cyber bullying and disinformation during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic
April 22, 2020 22 Apr'20
Coronavirus: Banking and mobile sectors collaborate to stop text scams

Initiative aims to protect 50 genuine brands and government organisations from being impersonated by cyber criminals
April 22, 2020 22 Apr'20
Coronavirus: Swedish college implements digital plans early

Work done by a Swedish medical school over the past few years to prepare digital education options is paying off as lockdown forces it to close physical classrooms
April 22, 2020 22 Apr'20
IR35 private sector reforms: Treasury ignores sub-committee’s plea to delay April 2021 start date

Despite the Finance Bill Sub-Committee claiming it would argue for the IR35 reforms to be delayed even if there were no pandemic, HM Treasury remains committed to revised April 2021 roll-out date
April 21, 2020 21 Apr'20
Border Force awards £3.1m contract to Capita

The contract with the Home Office's law enforcement agency will see the implementation of 4G and satellite infrastructure
April 21, 2020 21 Apr'20
Government launches online financial support platform for business

Businesses will be able to use the government’s online support finder tool to discover what sort of financial support is available to them during the Covid-19 pandemic
April 21, 2020 21 Apr'20
CIO interview: Theo Blackwell, CDO for London

Digital and data are transforming the way London runs – from transport to public services. The first ever chief digital officer for London explains how his team are going about it
April 20, 2020 20 Apr'20
Dutch organisations address business email compromise fraud

Public-private partnership in the Netherlands works to break the chains used by fraudsters to carry out BEC attacks
April 20, 2020 20 Apr'20
CIO interview: Jason Oliver, IT director, University of Sussex

Imagine taking a year to formulate a digital transformation plan – then having to implement much of it in two weeks when the coronavirus hit. For the Sussex University IT chief, there’s even more to do now
April 20, 2020 20 Apr'20
Machine learning to help hospitals predict Covid-19 demand

The system developed by NHS Digital and the University of Cambridge will support hospitals in England in handling upcoming demand for intensive care beds and ventilators
April 17, 2020 17 Apr'20
Government investigates perceptions about data sharing of health and social care

A project has been launched to find out about citizen understanding around data uses, and how perception may have been affected after the Covid-19 outbreak
April 16, 2020 16 Apr'20
St Albans council integrates systems in effort to streamline processes

The council of St Albans has implemented a unified digital platform to streamline how citizens interact with its services, as well as its own decision-making processes
April 16, 2020 16 Apr'20
Coronavirus: Nordic digital educators collaborate with authorities amid pandemic

Nordic education technology startups are supporting education establishments in offering continued education during the Covid-19 crisis
April 16, 2020 16 Apr'20
DWP turns to Government Gateway to support Universal Credit claims

Existing users of HMRC’s digital identity system can use their credentials to apply for benefits, in a move designed to ease bottlenecks caused by Gov.uk Verify performance problems
April 16, 2020 16 Apr'20
NHS Wales to get free security services during coronavirus pandemic

NHS Wales Informatics Services enlists Thales to help it face down security threats and let its teams focus on the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis
April 15, 2020 15 Apr'20
House of Commons reports progress on virtual Parliament

Plans to take certain proceedings online are on track but ‘bumps along the way’ are expected, according to the Speaker of the House of Commons
April 15, 2020 15 Apr'20
Coronavirus: Nordic authorities use tech in fight against Covid-19

Nordic government organisations are working with private technology firms in the region to support their efforts to contain the coronavirus
April 15, 2020 15 Apr'20
Tech firms, academia and charities unite to deliver 4G tablets to Covid-19 patients

The Life Lines project aims to keep critically ill patients connected when they are being cared for inside intensive care units across the UK
April 09, 2020 09 Apr'20
NHSX partners with Facebook and Accenture for video call device trial during Covid-19 crisis

Social media firm will distribute the equipment in hospitals, care homes and other healthcare settings
April 09, 2020 09 Apr'20
‘It's going to be a really different NHS’ – how NHS Digital is tackling the coronavirus crisis

The Covid-19 outbreak has led to huge amounts of work for NHS Digital, shifting its priorities and creating unprecedented demand for products and data, but it has also had a positive impact, says CEO Sarah Wilkinson
April 09, 2020 09 Apr'20
Coronavirus: Zoom restricted or banned at multiple organisations

Use of videoconferencing tool has been banned at Google and in parts of the German and US governments
April 08, 2020 08 Apr'20
Games developers join fight against coronavirus

Sector firms will deliver health messaging to UK citizens though popular games under a partnership with the government
April 08, 2020 08 Apr'20
What next for subpostmasters’ miscarriage of justice appeals?

Computer Weekly looks at the next stages in the process to clear the names of subpostmasters wrongly prosecuted for the crimes of theft and false accounting
April 08, 2020 08 Apr'20
IR35 private sector reforms: Blanket bans on limited company contractors hold firm despite deferral

While many firms have seized on the government’s decision to delay the roll-out of the IR35 reforms to rethink their approach, others are sticking by their decision to ban limited company IT contractors from their workforce
April 07, 2020 07 Apr'20
Judge refuses to delay Assange's extradition hearing over coronavirus pandemic

District Judge Vanessa Baraitser says extradition proceedings will go ahead against Julian Assange, after his lawyers argued that the coronavirus lockdown means they cannot prepare their defence
April 07, 2020 07 Apr'20
House of Commons commits to digital Parliament

Temporary arrangements will be in place to allow MPs to work remotely, with a project involving the BBC set to implement a more robust solution
April 06, 2020 06 Apr'20
Government launches £20m tech fund to tackle coronavirus crisis

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy announced the funding to back proposals to be reviewed by Innovate UK
April 03, 2020 03 Apr'20
Speaker calls for virtual Parliament during coronavirus crisis

Pressure mounts to build on previous virtual trials in parliamentary committee hearings and enable the House of Commons to operate remotely.
April 03, 2020 03 Apr'20
Use of NHS technology surges during Covid-19 outbreak

Digital platforms provided by the health service are attracting many more users as a result of social distancing and the need to provide services remotely
April 02, 2020 02 Apr'20
What the Court of Appeal referrals mean to those who campaigned for justice for subpostmasters

Former subpostmasters and their supporters describe their feelings after their appeals against convictions – some of which are nearly 20 years old – get sent to the Court of Appeal
April 02, 2020 02 Apr'20
MPs call for digital Parliament

In a letter with more than 100 co-signatories, Labour MP Chi Onwurah calls for politicians to lead by example during the coronavirus outbreak
April 01, 2020 01 Apr'20
Coronavirus: NHSX working on contact tracing app

A contact tracing app to track the spread of infection is being developed, although specific technical details remain scarce
March 31, 2020 31 Mar'20
Netherlands schools harness Apple technology

Most Dutch schools use Windows computers, interactive whiteboards and Chromebooks, but there are a number of pioneers who choose Apple products
March 31, 2020 31 Mar'20
Whitehall appoints civil service COO to replace John Manzoni

Former CMA chief executive Alex Chisholm also takes on the roles of COO and permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office
March 31, 2020 31 Mar'20
Hackathon launched to help fight coronavirus pandemic

Virtual hackathon seeks to develop a suite of applications to help people during the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak through ethically built technology
March 30, 2020 30 Mar'20
Ministry of Defence releases defence data management strategy

The report sets out how the department will improve the way it manages and uses data
March 29, 2020 29 Mar'20
Australian government unveils Covid-19 app

Federal government launches Coronavirus Australia app to keep Australians updated on the latest developments in its fight against the coronavirus outbreak
March 27, 2020 27 Mar'20
How subpostmasters made legal history with biggest referral of potential miscarriages of justice

Subpostmasters seeking redress of prosecutions at the hands of an IT system force the biggest ever UK referral of cases of potential miscarriages of justice to the Court of Appeal
March 27, 2020 27 Mar'20
Coronavirus: Derbyshire Police deploy drones to enforce social distancing rules

Police forces across the UK are using technology to exercise new emergency powers granted by the government this week as part of its coronavirus response
March 27, 2020 27 Mar'20
Crown Commercial Service advises on remote working tech

Public sector organisations want to understand their options to support their workforce during the Covid-19 crisis
March 27, 2020 27 Mar'20
NHS rolls out video consultations at GPs to support lockdown

Video consultation service aims to reduce face-to-face contact to protect patients and reduce infection, as well as caring for people who are mostly staying at home
March 26, 2020 26 Mar'20
Subpostmaster prosecutions to be considered by Court of Appeal for miscarriages of justice

The Criminal Cases Review Commission is referring 39 subpostmaster prosecutions to the Court of Appeal to review for possible miscarriages of justice, with further analysis on 22 more cases ongoing
March 25, 2020 25 Mar'20
Coronavirus: Chatbot to help Estonians cope during pandemic

Estonian government is using a chatbot developed by local startups to answer the many questions its citizens have about Covid-19
March 25, 2020 25 Mar'20
Meeting reviewing subpostmaster applications to appeal criminal prosecutions moves into second day

The Criminal Cases Review Commission has extended a meeting considering subpostmaster applications to appeal criminal convictions resulting from a faulty Post Office IT system
March 24, 2020 24 Mar'20
Huge queues for Universal Credit online applications due to coronavirus surge

Online queues in the tens of thousands are hindering emergency applications for Universal Credit, with the Gov.uk Verify identity verification system becoming a particular bottleneck
March 24, 2020 24 Mar'20
Coronavirus: Mobilising data science

Policy-makers are calling on the global data science community to develop data models that can can help them better understand the Covid-19 transmission rate
March 23, 2020 23 Mar'20
Coronavirus: Post Office postpones subpostmaster compensation scheme amid Covid-19 crisis

Scheme to compensate subpostmasters who suffered because of computer errors in the Post Office’s Horizon system is delayed
March 23, 2020 23 Mar'20
Coronavirus: Kaspersky, Bitdefender make products free to NHS

Kaspersky and Bitdefender have both made various products and services available free to healthcare customers as the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic intensifies
March 23, 2020 23 Mar'20
Coronavirus: CCRC uses Microsoft Teams to consider subpostmaster appeals

Criminal Cases Review Commission to use Microsoft Teams to ensure review of subpostmaster prosecutions is held on time
March 23, 2020 23 Mar'20
Singapore’s JTC taps GIS platform in Punggol Digital District

The planners behind Singapore’s Punggol Digital District are using a geographic information system to make better planning decisions and improve day-to-day operations
March 20, 2020 20 Mar'20
Dstl launches report on the future of cities

Dstl research aims to support decision-making of the UK military by analysing topics such as the influence of technology in urban warfare
March 20, 2020 20 Mar'20
MP warns minister not to parrot civil servants’ lines on Post Office IT scandal

MP Kevan Jones has warned a government minister not to repeat the mistakes of predecessors in relation to the Post Office Horizon IT scandal
March 20, 2020 20 Mar'20
How an Estonian digital nation emerged from the embers of Soviet rule

Estonia’s minister for foreign trade and IT tells Computer Weekly how the country went from having no governmental infrastructure in the early 1990s to acquiring the label “digital nation”
March 19, 2020 19 Mar'20
Loan charge under review: Cross-party group of MPs slams government inquiry into tax policy

The government’s independent inquiry into the loan charge disguised remuneration policy has been criticised in a report by a cross-party group of MPs for being ‘fundamentally flawed’
March 19, 2020 19 Mar'20
Covid-19: NHS tackles coronavirus crisis with the help of tech

As the pandemic grows and creates enormous pressure on the health service, NHS organisations across the country are using technology to help cope