News

IT for government and public sector

• September 27, 2021 27 Sep'21

  Giant Umbrella contractors suffer salary payment delays following suspected ‘data breach’

  Following the discovery of “suspicious network activity” in its systems, payroll processing firm Giant Umbrella has taken itself offline, leaving contractors to fume over missing salary payments

• September 27, 2021 27 Sep'21

  Scotland sees increase in job opportunities in tech

  Driven by startups and scaleups, employment in digital firms in Edinburgh and Glasgow is growing more than in other parts of the UK, according to data

• September 24, 2021 24 Sep'21

  London publishes guidelines for ethical use of smart city tech

  Latest draft of the ‘Emerging Technology Charter for London’ encourages local authorities, public services and technology companies to improve how they implement technology in the capital

• September 24, 2021 24 Sep'21

  HMRC postpones Making Tax Digital until 2024

  Digital tax changes have been delayed to allow more time for customers taking part in the pilot and for the government to enhance the service

• September 23, 2021 23 Sep'21

  Fresh alert over Conti ransomware surge

  Conti ransomware crew appears increasingly active, prompting fresh warnings from the US authorities

• September 23, 2021 23 Sep'21

  MoD in second leak of Afghan citizens’ data

  A second breach of data relating to Afghan citizens at risk of Taliban reprisals has been reported by the Ministry of Defence

• September 23, 2021 23 Sep'21

  Authorised push payment fraud sees huge increase as criminals switch tactics

  Criminals tricking people into making payments through channels such as fake emails and websites have stolen more money than payment card fraudsters

• September 23, 2021 23 Sep'21

  Government digital chief outlines extent of legacy IT challenge

  Central Digital and Data Office director Joanna Davinson says ageing IT is holding back digital transformation

• September 22, 2021 22 Sep'21

  UK government launches first national artificial intelligence strategy

  Ten-year plan is expected to drive corporate adoption of the technology, boost skills and attract international investments

• September 22, 2021 22 Sep'21

  Newham aims to harness local talent to build data economy in London

  The London Borough of Newham sets out to enable its young, digitally savvy population to build a data economy for sustainable growth through the launch of Newham Sparks at London Tech Week 2021

• September 22, 2021 22 Sep'21

  AI cannot be regulated by technical measures alone

  The regulation of artificial intelligence must address the power of tech companies, as technical measures alone will not be enough to prevent the harms caused by AI-driven technologies, says report

• September 22, 2021 22 Sep'21

  Legacy, unautomated IT was root cause of human error in pensions underpayment

  Caseworkers at Department for Work and Pensions had to use systems dating back to 1988 and manually move data to different systems, leading to human error

• September 22, 2021 22 Sep'21

  UK government turns to Tim Berners-Lee startup for digital identity plan

  As part of its new digital identity project, the Government Digital Service is using the Solid platform created by web inventor Berners-Lee, which helps users to manage their personal data better

• September 21, 2021 21 Sep'21

  NHS App reaches 16 million users

  Tool has seen a surge in uptake since the addition of the NHS Covid Pass in May

• September 21, 2021 21 Sep'21

  UK needs coordinated effort to regain ground in high-performance computing

  The UK is falling behind in the supercomputer league as a lack of skills and awareness of large-scale computing holds back organisations

• September 21, 2021 21 Sep'21

  Digital Clinical Safety Strategy adds to NHS patient safety plan

  Objective is to ensure digital technologies in health and care are safe and to use them to improve patient safety

• September 21, 2021 21 Sep'21

  BlackMatter gang ramps up attacks on multiple victims

  A wave of new BlackMatter ransomware attacks is hitting organisations around the world, even as the US authorities mull new sanctions on ransom payment infrastructure

• September 20, 2021 20 Sep'21

  UK government announces digital trade strategy

  Five-point plan is aimed at improving ways to sell and deliver services digitally, making the sector more resilient to disruption

• September 20, 2021 20 Sep'21

  NGO Fair Trials calls on EU to ban predictive policing systems

  The use of artificial intelligence to predict criminal behaviour should be banned because of its discriminatory outcomes and high risk of further entrenching existing inequalities, claims Fair Trials

• September 19, 2021 19 Sep'21

  UK tech sector on track for another record year of investment

  The UK creates one unicorn tech business a week, as startup funding during the first half of 2021 rockets to £13.5bn

• September 17, 2021 17 Sep'21

  Whittingdale and Warman ousting completes reshuffle of every digital, data and tech minister

  All of the UK ministers responsible for technology, digital and data are moving on as a result of Boris Johnson's latest reshuffle

• September 16, 2021 16 Sep'21

  Bitdefender launches free REvil ransomware decryptor

  Working alongside law enforcement partners, Bitdefender has developed and released a tool to help REvil victims recover their data for free

• September 16, 2021 16 Sep'21

  European president outlines tech vision to drive Europe

  President of the European Commission has set out plans for a stronger European economy, with less reliance on US and Chinese tech giants

• September 16, 2021 16 Sep'21

  Network Rail U-turns on blanket inside IR35 contractor determinations

  The Department for Transport’s 2020-2021 accounts suggest Network Rail has switched up its IR35 compliance strategy, with more than 70% of its contractors now classified as working outside IR35

• September 15, 2021 15 Sep'21

  UN human rights chief calls for moratorium on AI technologies

  High commissioner’s call for a moratorium on the use of AI systems that pose a serious risk to human rights is accompanied by a UN report on the negative human rights impacts associated with the technology

• September 15, 2021 15 Sep'21

  Interview: Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak on supporting the UK tech sector

  Computer Weekly talked to Sunak at a Treasury event in front of an audience of tech sector leaders, investors and startups, to discuss how the government can support the digital economy

• September 15, 2021 15 Sep'21

  Tech Nation announces second cohort for Net Zero accelerator

  The Net Zero programme from Tech Nation aims to help tech startups and scaleups realise their potential to reduce global emissions

• September 15, 2021 15 Sep'21

  Nordic central banks drive fintech and digital currency

  Banks are working together through a cross-border financial technology development hub

• September 14, 2021 14 Sep'21

  UK government takes equity shares in more than 150 startups

  Covid-support loans given to startups through the UK government’s Future Fund have given it stakes in more than 150 high-growth enterprises

• September 14, 2021 14 Sep'21

  CCRC refers six more subpostmaster convictions for appeal

  An additional six subpostmasters’ convictions have been referred for appeal in Post Office IT scandal

• September 13, 2021 13 Sep'21

  UK government’s new digital identity system to cost up to £400m

  Cabinet Office is seeking £300m-£400m in funding to build its replacement for the failed Gov.uk Verify system, which itself cost over £220m

• September 09, 2021 09 Sep'21

  Delays to replacing legacy police IT puts access to information at risk, says NAO

  National Audit Office says five-year delay to the Home Office’s project to create a National Law Enforcement Data Service, replacing two existing legacy IT systems, puts police access to vital information at risk

• September 09, 2021 09 Sep'21

  UK GDPR faces changes under planned reforms

  DCMS is launching a major consultation on proposed changes to the UK’s data protection regime, under which several key elements of the GDPR are likely to change

• September 09, 2021 09 Sep'21

  Government relies on tech to reduce NHS waiting lists

  Health and social care secretary Sajid Javid aims to reduce NHS waiting list backlog through use of virtual wards, artificial intelligence and new surgical hubs

• September 08, 2021 08 Sep'21

  Estonian government opens its digital heart to tech testers

  Tech startups are being invited to build and test their products and services on the Estonian government’s IT estate for free, in return for use of the software developed

• September 07, 2021 07 Sep'21

  Procuring law enforcement tech needs greater scrutiny

  Tech firms are playing a high-stakes game to drive adoption of artificial intelligence and surveillance technology in law enforcement

• September 07, 2021 07 Sep'21

  Lords committee calls for evidence on digital regulation

  House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee has called for evidence to inform its inquiry into the effectiveness of digital regulation

• September 07, 2021 07 Sep'21

  Government opens £2bn chest for big data analytics

  The Crown Commercial Service has published an early notification notice for a £500m per annum big data analytics procurement framework, which will run from 2022 to 2026

• September 03, 2021 03 Sep'21

  China accused of cyber attacks on Norwegian IT systems

  China-based cyber attackers have been blamed for multiple assaults on IT systems in Norway

• September 02, 2021 02 Sep'21

  Applications for Tech Nation Global Talent Visa hit 4,000

  Tech Nation, the endorsing body for the digital technology route of the UK’s Global Talent Visa, has reached a total of 4,000 visa applications since 2014

• September 02, 2021 02 Sep'21

  The Gulf is counting on its smart cities for a sustainable and profitable future

  The countries in the Gulf region are leading the way in the development of smart cities as part of their economic diversification

• September 01, 2021 01 Sep'21

  University of Sunderland applies technology through robot dog

  Students will apply technologies such as artificial intelligence to robotic dog as part of their learning

• September 01, 2021 01 Sep'21

  Tech sector spends nearly €100m a year lobbying the EU

  Study on technology firms’ lobbying efforts in the European Union shows the sector spends more than any other in trying to influence policies and legislation

• August 31, 2021 31 Aug'21

  NHSX sets out digital guidelines for NHS organisations

  The What Good Looks Like framework provides instructions on how NHS leaders should improve the use of digital in their organisations

• August 31, 2021 31 Aug'21

  Subpostmasters demand more clarity on Horizon public inquiry before committing their support

  Subpostmaster campaign group founder demands that financial redress for members be included in public inquiry before it ‘willingly’ participates

• August 27, 2021 27 Aug'21

  Are proposed data protection changes a threat to UK citizens’ privacy?

  Though changes are as-yet undefined pending an upcoming consultation, concerns are already being expressed over the government’s plan to liberalise data protection laws in the service of innovation and growth

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  Tech giants commit to Biden's cyber security action plan

  Some of the world’s most prominent tech giants have made a series of commitments to enhance the US’ national cyber security posture following a high-profile meeting with president Biden

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  Government unveils post-Brexit data flow proposals

  The government will pursue data partnerships with countries including Australia, South Korea and the US as part of a post-Brexit data regime that may also see substantial changes to the UK’s data protection law

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  Scottish government launches £25m digital funding for SMEs

  Money comes from the latest wave of the government’s DigitalBoost Fund, which offers small and medium-sized businesses in Scotland funding to invest in digital technologies

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  NHS Scotland sets out recovery plan

  Plan includes ensuring digital choices are always available, scaling up online consultation app and accelerating technology adoption in the NHS