News

IT for government and public sector

June 01, 2006 01 Jun'06
Boots uses Spinal Tap to link to NHS prescriptions

Boots is using technology from Quicksilva Software Solutions to enable it to meet the requirements of current and future releases of the NHS Electronic Prescriptions Service (EPS).
May 30, 2006 30 May'06
IT delays are hitting law enforcement, says auditor

Home secretary John Reid highlighted the poor state of government IT when he said that the department he inherited this month was “not fit for purpose” and lacked the systems to deliver adequate information.
May 30, 2006 30 May'06
MPs want an inquiry into NHS IT scheme

Technology experts’ letter triggers concerns at Westminster
May 22, 2006 22 May'06
UK “poised for e-government take off”

The UK is on the verge of a dramatic improvement in the provision of customer services to its citizens, an report by Accenture claims.

May 16, 2006 16 May'06
Need for NHS IT audit raised in parliament

A campaign by 23 experts in computer-related science for an independent audit of the NHS National Programme for IT (NPfIT) is gathering strength after it was raised in the House of Commons.
May 15, 2006 15 May'06
US seeks extension to Microsoft antitrust ruling

The US government is seeking court approval for a two-year extension to a 2002 antitrust ruling against Microsoft, requiring it to make elements of its server technology available to rivals.
May 09, 2006 09 May'06
MPs back call for technical review of NHS programme

MPs of the main political parties have expressed concerns over the NHS National Programme for IT (NPfIT) and have joined leading computer scientists in calling for an independent review of the scheme.
May 03, 2006 03 May'06
SMEs bear the brunt of IT security risk

The burden of security incidents in the UK is falling on small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) according to the latest government-sponsored survey of information security breaches in the UK.
April 25, 2006 25 Apr'06
Your shout: NHS IT, NPfIT, patient services

Have your say at computerweekly.com
April 19, 2006 19 Apr'06
Fujitsu to supply helpdesk support for NPfIT

NHS Connecting for Health has awarded a £41m-plus contract to provide service desk support for its National Programme for IT (NPfIT) applications to Fujitsu Services.

April 18, 2006 18 Apr'06
New senior owner for NHS IT plan

Ian Carruthers, acting chief executive of the NHS, has been appointed overall senior responsible owner for the £6.2bn national programme for IT in the NHS.
April 18, 2006 18 Apr'06
Tax credits compensation linked to EDS contract wins

HM Revenue and Customs has struck an "extraordinary" deal with EDS in which a large amount of compensation paid by the IT services company for the introduction of the troubled tax credits system is based on the future government business it wins.
April 11, 2006 11 Apr'06
MoD opens anti-terrorism technology centre

The government has opened the Counter-Terrorism Science and Technology Centre to help the Ministry of Defence’s scientific response to terrorist threats.
April 11, 2006 11 Apr'06
Top UK IT experts call for audit of NHS programme

Leading computer science experts are this week writing to parliament calling for an independent audit of the NHS national programme for IT (NPfIT).
April 04, 2006 04 Apr'06
Firms ‘at risk’ from staff misuse of the internet

Staff misuse of the internet is putting companies’ reputations at risk, according to early findings from the government’s latest information breaches survey.
April 03, 2006 03 Apr'06
Government unleashes SOCA on organised computer crime

The government has today launched the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), the UK’s equivalent of the FBI, to tackle organised crime, including sophisticated computer-based fraud and money laundering.
March 31, 2006 31 Mar'06
Government awards £185m Northern Ireland human resources contract

Northern Ireland's Department of Finance and Personnel has awarded Fujitsu Services a 15-year £185m contract for a new electronic human resources system.
March 29, 2006 29 Mar'06
US government warned of security risks

The US government’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has been warned of “significant” weaknesses in its information security, leaving it vulnerable to hackers, according to a report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).
March 21, 2006 21 Mar'06
NHS plan has failed to win over users, says NAO boss

Bourn reveals audit office report will criticise £6.2bn national programme
March 21, 2006 21 Mar'06
Headache for pension companies as delay in regulations has knock-on effect for IT

Frustration is mounting among pension providers at the government's delayed release of regulations for the simplified pensions tax regime that comes in on 6 April - known as 'A-Day'.
March 17, 2006 17 Mar'06
US government criticised over IT security

A Congress committee has released a damning “report card” on US government computer security, highlighting the particular failings of the Homeland Security, State and Defence Departments.
March 15, 2006 15 Mar'06
SMBs ill-prepared for security threats

One-fifth of SMBs have already experienced a security breach, according to a survey of 505 small businesses by government website www.businesslink.gov.uk.
March 14, 2006 14 Mar'06
NHS care records roll-out raises patient safety fears

Patient Safety Agency notified of hospital concerns over NPfIT roll-out
March 14, 2006 14 Mar'06
Government ID card project faces £1.81bn deficit, warns LSE report

The government's £5.8bn ID card project will be more than £1.81bn in deficit by 2008 unless the Home Office finds additional funding, a report by the London School of Economics (LSE) has claimed.
March 14, 2006 14 Mar'06
NHS plan is evolving but one-size-fits-all is a fundamental flaw, says hospital chief

Jonathan Michael, a top NHS executive, had some good words to say about Connecting for Health, an agency that is running one of the world's largest civil IT programmes.
March 07, 2006 07 Mar'06
Government awards C&W safety call number contract

The UK government has awarded Cable & Wireless a multi-million pound contract to supply the government with its new Single Non-Emergency Number service, to deliver safety advice to the public.
March 07, 2006 07 Mar'06
Shared services can't be forced

Central government is in danger of making a grave mistake if it forces local authorities to adopt shared services against their will. You would be hard-pressed to find a single IT professional who did not think shared services are, in principle, an ...
March 03, 2006 03 Mar'06
Government to overhaul employment vetting system

The government has published a bill to consolidate employee checking systems to protect children and vulnerable people, including an on-line scheme to allow parents to check on the suitability of home tutors and nannies.
March 02, 2006 02 Mar'06
US government systems auditor faces jail for spying on boss

A former IT system auditor for a US government agency is facing a five-year prison sentence for spying on his boss.
March 01, 2006 01 Mar'06
Efficiency goal 'flawed'

The government's claims that it is on target to achieve a £21.5bn efficiency saving in the public sector by 2007-2008 could be flawed because Whitehall does not include capital costs - including IT - of developing new ways of working.
February 28, 2006 28 Feb'06
Sun claims US government stalled its Grid over state security

Sun has claimed that the US government has held back its plans to launch its Sun Grid supercomputing project to customers.
February 21, 2006 21 Feb'06
US government plans cybercrime survey

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced plans to conduct the first ever national survey to measure the prevalence and impact of cybercrime on businesses within the US.
February 15, 2006 15 Feb'06
ID card project slips back a year

The government’s £5.8bn national ID card project has slipped back a year following delays in passing the ID card bill through Parliament, a government minister conceded yesterday.
February 03, 2006 03 Feb'06
Google court battle over porn records delayed

Google's court battle with the US government over the disclosure of customer search results has been postponed to 13 March.
February 02, 2006 02 Feb'06
Government gets tough on computer crime

The government has proposed sharply increasing penalties for computer crime, taking the maximum penalty for unauthorised modification of a computer from five to 10 years.
February 02, 2006 02 Feb'06
US government charges 19 copyright hackers

The US government has brought charges against 19 members of an international group of hackers, who are said to have been involved in a “massive” copyright theft.
February 01, 2006 01 Feb'06
Government closes e-government standards body

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has closed down the Local e-Government Standards Body (LeGSB), leaving councils with no official body to guide them through on-line development.
January 31, 2006 31 Jan'06
Reforms to Computer Misuse Act close gaps and increase penalties

The government has announced legislation to toughen the Computer Misuse Act by increasing the maximum jail sentence for hackers and strengthening legal protection against denial of service attacks.
January 30, 2006 30 Jan'06
Government to change VAT law in reponse to IT fraud

The government is seeking to change the way the business supply chain charges for VAT, partly in response to fraud in the IT components industry.
January 27, 2006 27 Jan'06
Tehran bans BBC website

The BBC says the Iranian government has started to block its citizens from viewing its Persian website, as hostilities escalate between Tehran and western governments over its decision to start a uranium enrichment programme.
January 26, 2006 26 Jan'06
Government to beef up cybercrime laws with new bill

The government proposes to hand out stiffer sentences to cyber-criminals by revamping the Computer Misuse Act.
January 25, 2006 25 Jan'06
Microsoft slow to comply with US anti-trust agreement

Microsoft is failing to meet its obligations under the anti-trust agreement it made with the US government, according to documents filed by federal and state prosecuters.
January 25, 2006 25 Jan'06
Google to block human rights content in China

Google has lined up with the other major internet search engines and is helping the Chinese government to censor the search material available to internet users in China.
January 18, 2006 18 Jan'06
Fraudsters steal millions from online tax credits system

At least £15m has so far been discovered to have been stolen from the government through its online tax credits system, and the final figure may top £100m.
January 17, 2006 17 Jan'06
Government ID card plan hits buffers

The House of Lords is threatening to de-rail the government’s planned ID card plans, after voting against a bill last night that does not include the exact costs of the scheme.
January 16, 2006 16 Jan'06
Socitm welcomes Watmore move

Angela Waite, president of local government IT directors' organisation Socitm, last week welcomed the promotion of government CIO Ian Watmore to head of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit.
January 13, 2006 13 Jan'06
Socitm lauds Watmore reign

Angela Waite, president of local government IT directors’ organisation Socitm, has welcomed the promotion of former government CIO Ian Watmore to the head of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit.
January 11, 2006 11 Jan'06
Microsoft wins vital patent decision

US government officials have supported Microsoft’s attempts to keep hold of two vital file system patents.
January 04, 2006 04 Jan'06
Socitm changes council website grading system

Public Sector IT directors’ organisation Socitm has ranked six top local government websites alongside commercial leaders such as Amazon and Friends Reunited, for user friendliness and delivery.
December 16, 2005 16 Dec'05
Government delays WEEE recycling directive again

The government has admitted that it is unable to make the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive (WEEE) law.
December 12, 2005 12 Dec'05
Councils move from e-government to efficiency savings

The past year could be a turning point for public sector IT. At least that is what government CIO Ian Watmore hopes.
December 12, 2005 12 Dec'05
Councils must boost IT spending to meet transformation challenges, says Socitm

Local authorities will spend £3.3bn on IT in this financial year and will have to continue to invest heavily if they are to complete the business transformation projects that have been demanded by central government, according to a survey by local ...
December 08, 2005 08 Dec'05
Councils must boost ICT spending to meet transformation challenges, says Socitm

Local authorities will spend £3.3bn on IT over the next year and will have to continue to invest heavily in future if they are to complete the business transforming projects that have been demanded by central government, according to a survey by ...
December 05, 2005 05 Dec'05
Audit Office delays its report on NHS scheme

Public spending watchdog the National Audit Office has again delayed publishing its report on the £6.2bn national programme for IT in the NHS.
December 05, 2005 05 Dec'05
Government could not cope with new pensions IT, warn insurers

Savings industry experts concerned over state's track record with massive IT projects.
November 30, 2005 30 Nov'05
European government websites failing the disabled

Almost every government website in Europe fails to meet basic standards for accessibility to the disabled.
November 30, 2005 30 Nov'05
Foreign governments ‘threaten UK’s national infrastructure’

Foreign governments are the primary threat to the UK's critical national infrastructure because of their hunger for information, according to the government agency responsible for monitoring infrastructure security.
November 29, 2005 29 Nov'05
Government to launch £5m council online services campaign

The government is to launch a £5m campaign to encourage more citizens to use the online services of their local authorities.
November 07, 2005 07 Nov'05
Interfaces blamed for Choose and Book difficulties as MPs push NHS for answers

The first formal parliamentary inquiry into the progress of a core part of the NHS's IT modernisation programme has left MPs angry at the lack of clarity in answers to their direct questions.
November 07, 2005 07 Nov'05
Most GPs cold towards e-booking, study shows

The Public Accounts Committee asked Nigel Crisp, chief executive of the NHS, about a survey of 1,500 GPs published last week by public spending watchdog the National Audit Office.
November 07, 2005 07 Nov'05
Cabinet Office sets out plan for transformation

Transforming central and local government IT, and replacing the "pen-and-paper Dickensian business processes" on which the bulk of public services are based, is promised by a Cabinet Office strategy published last week.
November 01, 2005 01 Nov'05
Managers failing to use IT to meet Gershon targets

Senior managers and frontline staff at all levels of government are struggling to realise the potential of IT to meet the efficiency targets set by the Gershon Review, says new research from The Work Foundation.
October 24, 2005 24 Oct'05
CIOs and IT directors are both vital, says Watmore

Local authorities should employ both chief information officers (CIOs) and IT directors, government CIO Ian Watmore told the Society of IT Managers’ (Socitm) annual conference in Brighton this week.
October 24, 2005 24 Oct'05
Local councils set to be target for online crime

Local government will be the next sector to be targeted by onmline criminals, Tony Neate, head of industry liaison at the National Hit-Tech Crime Unit’s (NHTCU), warned last week’s conference of local government IT managers.
October 11, 2005 11 Oct'05
IT troubles hit Revenue's ability to collect taxes

The normal collection of tax revenue and balancing the government's books was hit by IT-related difficulties over the spring and summer.
September 08, 2005 08 Sep'05
Government launches public-sector security product accreditation scheme

The first security product accredited by a new government scheme to ensure products are reliable for the public sector has been announced.
September 02, 2005 02 Sep'05
CfH announces new faces for key stage of deployment

Connecting for Health, which runs the NHS’s £6.2bn national programme for IT (NPfIT), has appointed a new regional implementation director for London following the resignation of David Kwo in April.
August 30, 2005 30 Aug'05
Online services deadline will be met but will public be won over?

Councils may fail to attract people to access services electronically despite meeting the government's end-of year deadline to get services online, public sector IT managers group Socitm has warned.
August 25, 2005 25 Aug'05
Government renegotiates CSA outsourcing contract with EDS

The government’s Department for Work and Pensions has renegotiated its Child Support Agency (CSA) contract with outsourcer EDS, after the troubled CSA systems continually wrought havoc for the department.
August 23, 2005 23 Aug'05
Uncertainty surrounds NHS IT Programme as local providers delay core systems

Building a hospital is not easy, and when the technology it depends upon is tied in with one of the world's largest IT programmes, the challenge is far more complex.
August 12, 2005 12 Aug'05
Councils on course to beat Gershon targets

Local councils are on track to beat the efficiency targets set by the Gershon review, new government figures show.
August 10, 2005 10 Aug'05
Government announces location of seven Firelink centres

The government has announced locations for seven planned control centres for its controversial Firelink system.
August 08, 2005 08 Aug'05
Watchdog delays report into NHS IT programme

Public spending watchdog the National Audit Office has delayed publishing a report on its investigation into the national programme for IT in the NHS (NPfIT), one of the world's largest computer-related schemes.
August 02, 2005 02 Aug'05
Strong business case links IT spending to e-gov and service improvements in Leeds

Leeds City Council has fought hard to win the funding for the multi-pronged IT infrastructure overhaul which is essential for it to meet e-government targets and the efficiencies required in response to the Gershon Report.
July 25, 2005 25 Jul'05
Leeds races to finish IT overhaul to meet e-government deadline

Council has until September to complete its end-to-end infrastructure upgrade
July 04, 2005 04 Jul'05
What national police IT fiasco has to teach us for the NHS modernisation programme

Analysis of two national IT programmes facing major challenges
July 04, 2005 04 Jul'05
Government IT heads join CIO Connect

Thirty members of the government's CIO Council have joined IT directors group CIO Connect to share IT strategies with the private sector.
July 04, 2005 04 Jul'05
MPs back publication of Gateway reports

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee is expected to recommend that Gateway reviews of risky government projects are published.
June 27, 2005 27 Jun'05
National ID card project 'could cost £19bn'

The London School of Economics (LSE) says the government’s national ID card scheme could cost up to £19.2bn to implement, more than twice the government’s current estimate.
May 27, 2005 27 May'05
MPs to debate bill before Gateway

The government announced last week that it is pressing ahead with legislation to introduce ID cards - but this is before the...
May 25, 2005 25 May'05
ID cards could replace NI numbers

The introduction of ID cards could trigger deep-rooted changes in the IT systems of central government.
May 23, 2005 23 May'05
CBI warns ID cards will fail unless government gets a grip on detail

The Confederation of British Industry has written to home secretary Charles Clarke calling for greater openness about the...
May 17, 2005 17 May'05
Should the government define spyware?

Who's best qualified to define what is and isn't spyware -- your congressman or your online user community? Security experts say no entity can do it alone.
May 16, 2005 16 May'05
Oracle settles over invoice fraud

Oracle has paid out $8m (£4.3m) to settle a lawsuit brought by the US government, which had accused the company of invoicing for...
May 11, 2005 11 May'05
NISCC warns firms over IPSec hack

The British government’s National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre (NISCC) has warned companies using IPSec virtual...
May 09, 2005 09 May'05
Award attests to need for change

Computer Weekly's long and hard-fought campaign to achieve more openness and accountability on government IT projects has been...
May 03, 2005 03 May'05
What the doctor ordered

When the national programme for IT in the NHS (NPfIT) - now being renamed Connecting for Health - started, I had serious...
April 29, 2005 29 Apr'05
IT security kitemark pilot planned

The government is preparing to pilot a kitemark standard for information security products.
April 29, 2005 29 Apr'05
Councils shown how to easily meet Gershon efficiency savings targets

Local government IT managers' group Socitm has advised local authorities not to set up separate programmes to meet the needs of...
April 25, 2005 25 Apr'05
Existing contracts hinder Revenue integration plan

The practical problems of combining systems and contracts in two large government departments are highlighted in a document...
April 18, 2005 18 Apr'05
Councils' private sector partnerships risk failure due to lack of crucial in-house skills

Local government organisations are putting their outsourced IT contracts at risk by not retaining enough skills in-house to...
April 18, 2005 18 Apr'05
We will harness power of IT and continue e-gov work, says Blair

Prime minister promises continued investment in local government IT
April 18, 2005 18 Apr'05
NHS may pay up-front to ease burden on suppliers

IT programme softens line as suppliers run up losses and increase risk
April 12, 2005 12 Apr'05
Report on CSA is the way forward

History shows that governments abhor transparency and accountability on large, IT-related projects
April 11, 2005 11 Apr'05
Government should fund security study for business, says Microsoft

Governments should fund long-term security research that could be transferred to the private sector for commercial deployment,...
April 06, 2005 06 Apr'05
MPs question validity of child protection IT

Government plans for councils to create child index databases are not likely to offer them better protection to children at risk,...
April 06, 2005 06 Apr'05
Websites will drive savings, says Socitm

Government IT managers group Socitm believes that "a significant slice" of the 2.5% efficiency gains the Treasury expects local...
April 04, 2005 04 Apr'05
Blair's Digital Britain vision poses challenge for IT leaders

IT-led transformation of public services has only just begun, according to the government.
March 30, 2005 30 Mar'05
New Warps to provide security early warning

The government has stepped up its drive to protect the UK's critical technology infrastructure by backing the creation of...
March 21, 2005 21 Mar'05
Lack of transparency limits value of Gateway reviews into NHS plan

The national programme for IT (NPfIT) in the NHS opposes Computer Weekly's call for an independent audit of the scheme.