News

IT for government and public sector

• July 29, 2019 29 Jul'19

  One-third of UK councils have IT budgets cut

  Many local authorities’ IT budgets are being reduced at a time when they are trying to digitally transform to cut costs and improve processes

• July 26, 2019 26 Jul'19

  New digital minister appointed as PM Johnson continues reshuffle

  Former telecoms executive Nigel Adams takes over as minister for digital and sport, succeeding Margot James

• July 25, 2019 25 Jul'19

  Crown Commercial Service to replace Crown Marketplace

  The Cabinet Office’s executive agency tweaks its modernisation strategy to boost government procurement efficiency and advances its own technology agenda

• July 25, 2019 25 Jul'19

  New ministerial appointments for tech policies in Boris Johnson Cabinet

  The new Prime Minister has brought in ministers in all the key government posts affecting digital and technology policy

• July 24, 2019 24 Jul'19

  Smart technology will transform Dutch neighbourhood

  A programme in the Netherlands is creating a smart neighbourhood as a pilot for how people could live in the future

• July 24, 2019 24 Jul'19

  Controversial ‘immigration exemption’ used in 60% of cases

  The UK government has used a controversial GDPR opt-out in response to the majority of its immigration-related data requests since the start of 2019, the High Court has heard

• July 24, 2019 24 Jul'19

  AI to advance Swedish military systems

  Swedish report into use of artificial intelligence in military systems reveals opportunities and concerns

• July 23, 2019 23 Jul'19

  Phishing attack highlights cyber security need at universities

  UK university cyber security is once again under the spotlight after Lancaster University reveals that it has been targeted by a phishing attack used to send fake invoices

• July 23, 2019 23 Jul'19

  UK government to boost AI and data use in preventive healthcare

  A programme led by Public Health England and NHSX will aim to usher in a “new era of evidence-based self-care", with patients increasingly expected to allow access to their personal data

• July 23, 2019 23 Jul'19

  Home Office hands EE additional £220m for ESN

  Home Office quietly announces a major extension to the ESN project, pumping over £200m of additional taxpayer money into its contract with EE

• July 23, 2019 23 Jul'19

  High Court to hear challenge to immigration exemption in DPA

  The High Court is to hear a challenge by two human rights groups of a controversial clause in new UK data protection legislation they say is in conflict with the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and undermines the General Data Protection Regulation

• July 23, 2019 23 Jul'19

  IT infrastructure and cyber security ‘critical’ for Student Loans Company future

  Upgrades to key systems and cyber defence capability will be required so the non-departmental public body can continue to perform key functions, according to a major review

• July 22, 2019 22 Jul'19

  CDEI publishes reports on online targeting and bias in algo decisions

  Recommendations due in late 2019 and early 2020 from Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation’s work on online targeting and bias in algorithmic decision-making

• July 22, 2019 22 Jul'19

  Big tech firms back UK cyber security initiative

  Big technology firms have pledged their support for UK investment in an initiative to “design out” of new tech the most damaging cyber security threats

• July 22, 2019 22 Jul'19

  HMRC makes cloud and data progress

  HMRC has shifted half of its systems to virtualised servers, and is nearing completion of a major core system roll out and boosting data capability to support its digital ambitions

• July 19, 2019 19 Jul'19

  Second CyberThreat Summit announced by NCSC and SANS Institute

  CyberThreat 2019 aims to bring together a more diverse set of technical professionals in cyber security from the private and public sectors in the UK and abroad to encourage collaboration

• July 19, 2019 19 Jul'19

  Government launches digital identity consultation and new pilot scheme

  DCMS is seeking views on the role of the government and private sector in developing digital identities, while a small-scale trial will open up passport data for companies to prove online IDs

• July 18, 2019 18 Jul'19

  Verify deemed ‘unachievable’ by major government projects review

  Issues around the digital identity project and a major compliance project led by the Ministry of Justice are impossible to solve, according to the Infrastructure and Projects Authority

• July 18, 2019 18 Jul'19

  Digital minister Margot James quits after Brexit vote

  James voted against the government in an attempt to stop the next Prime Minister from suspending Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit

• July 18, 2019 18 Jul'19

  Parliamentary committee calls for halt to facial recognition trials

  Issues with biometrics and forensics pose a significant risk to effective functioning of the criminal justice system, according to a report by the Science and Technology Committee

• July 18, 2019 18 Jul'19

  Welsh council aims to cut back-office processing costs by 95% through automation

  A council in South Wales is expecting to reduce the cost of human resources business processes by up to 95% through robotic process automation

• July 17, 2019 17 Jul'19

  NHS still has thousands of PCs running Windows XP

  NHS computers are still being upgraded three years after the WannaCry ransomware attack to the health system, raising concerns over cyber security

• July 17, 2019 17 Jul'19

  Conditions ‘not quite there’ for government chief data officer

  The long-awaited appointment for government’s chief data officer requires a perception in departments that data is actually valuable, government officials said

• July 17, 2019 17 Jul'19

  MPs slam Home Office over troubled Emergency Services Network programme

  The plan for a new communications network for police, fire and ambulance services is three years late and £3.1bn over budget, and Public Accounts Committee fears further delays

• July 16, 2019 16 Jul'19

  NCSC calls out Microsoft over Dmarc reports

  The UK’s cyber security agency has called out Microsoft for seriously undermining global email security by failing to provide crucial reports from its email platforms

• July 16, 2019 16 Jul'19

  NCSC reports on second year of cyber defence at scale

  The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre releases a report on the second year of its Active Cyber Defence programme to demonstrate its effects in the public sector and wider UK cyber ecosystem

• July 15, 2019 15 Jul'19

  Government must ‘stop choosing ignorance’ around data

  In a letter to digital secretary Jeremy Wright, civil society groups warn that a number of shortcomings must be addressed to enable the government to reap data-related benefits

• July 15, 2019 15 Jul'19

  US judge dismisses challenge over Department of Defense mega-cloud contract

  The US Department of Defense looks set to award a $10bn cloud contract after a legal challenge to the procurement process failed

• July 15, 2019 15 Jul'19

  Organisations turn to AI in race against cyber attackers

  Businesses are racing to automate their defences as hackers and nation states launch increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks

• July 15, 2019 15 Jul'19

  UK public sector needs to prioritise mobile device security

  Only 10% of public service stolen and lost mobile are recovered, underlining the need for mobile-centric, zero-trust model to reduce the risk, says MobileIron

• July 12, 2019 12 Jul'19

  SD-WAN in play: How software-defined solves core business challenges

  For foodservice business HMSHost International and chemical products firm Element Solutions, both customers of networking supplier Aryaka, software-defined wide area networking technology is proving its mettle when it comes to solving core business ...

• July 12, 2019 12 Jul'19

  Home Office boosts tools to tackle online child abuse

  New systems will be introduced to speed up investigations and limit the number of distressing images viewed by law enforcement officers

• July 11, 2019 11 Jul'19

  NHS makes health information available through Alexa

  The collaboration between the government and Amazon follows a push from the centre to add voice to services

• July 11, 2019 11 Jul'19

  Draft finance bill dims hopes of private sector reprieve on April 2020 roll-out of IR35 reforms

  Publication of the draft IR35 private sector reform legislation dims hopes the government might announce a delay to rolling out the changes in April 2020

• July 11, 2019 11 Jul'19

  University of Bristol upgrades to Nimble as it takes IT off-site

  Higher education institution gets trouble-free hybrid flash performance from Nimble and stores 600TB of data at two colocation sites to which it is transitioning from on-campus

• July 10, 2019 10 Jul'19

  Crown Commercial Service launches ICT framework for education

  The deal aims to help education sector bodies procure technology products and services, with SME participation becoming more prominent

• July 10, 2019 10 Jul'19

  Max Schrems not calling for SCCs to be invalidated

  The privacy activist at the centre of legal battle against Facebook is not calling for all standard contractual clauses to be invalidated, according to his non-profit privacy organisation

• July 10, 2019 10 Jul'19

  Government Digital Service relevance is fading, says Commons Committee

  According to a report, GDS is losing authority and the ability to deliver digital change, and calls for its purpose to be renewed, along with the appointment of digital champions

• July 10, 2019 10 Jul'19

  UK government publishes guidance for national data strategy

  The ongoing call from the government for evidence will be followed by a full consultation in the autumn with a view to publish the final data strategy plan in 2020

• July 09, 2019 09 Jul'19

  ICO issues warning about using facial recognition technology

  The UK privacy watchdog has ruled that any police force or private organisation using live facial recognition technology is processing personal data and needs to pay attention to data protection laws

• July 09, 2019 09 Jul'19

  Post Office fixes technical problem causing accounting errors in Horizon

  Problem revealed during High Court trial left subpostmaster with £18,000 surplus after IT system failed to register full amount of cash scanned in

• July 08, 2019 08 Jul'19

  Former NHSI chief moves on to government automation taskforce

  Ian Dalton, former NHSI chief, has taken up the lead position for driving automation through government in a bid to improve public services

• July 08, 2019 08 Jul'19

  Eventful second Post Office Horizon trial ends

  The latest High Court trial in the long-running dispute between the Post Office and subpostmasters has concluded, with part three set for March 2020

• July 08, 2019 08 Jul'19

  IISP gains Royal Charter status

  The UK finally has its first national professional body for cyber security that will be responsible for setting the standards for skills and knowledge in the industry to reduce the skills gap and increase diversity

• July 07, 2019 07 Jul'19

  Public sector should embrace multicloud to cut risk of cloud market monopolisation, says report

  Joint report by the Internet Economy Foundation think-tank and business consultancy Roland Berger urges governments to take steps to prevent a cloud computing oligopoly that would leave organisations at greater risk of supplier lock-in

• July 05, 2019 05 Jul'19

  NHSX announces key senior appointments

  NHS England chief clinical information officer Simon Eccles will take over as deputy chief executive of NHSX, while technology advisor Hadley Beeman will step in as acting chief technology officer of the new unit

• July 05, 2019 05 Jul'19

  Met Police use of facial recognition could be unlawful, finds report

  The first independent report into use of facial recognition technology by the police found a number of shortcomings around trials that would not withstand legal scrutiny

• July 04, 2019 04 Jul'19

  Security and privacy key to smart buildings and cities

  Security and privacy capabilities are essential for stakeholders if they are to realise the benefits of smart buildings and cities, says expert whitepaper

• July 04, 2019 04 Jul'19

  Longer-term tech investment must support policing reform

  Investment in technologies such as facial recognition and artificial intelligence should be introduced to tackle compromises to public safety levels, says report

• July 04, 2019 04 Jul'19

  GDS signs agreement with Polish counterpart

  The memorandum of understanding is aimed at boosting trade and technology development opportunities between the UK and Poland

• July 04, 2019 04 Jul'19

  Implementing IoT – overcoming barriers to commercial adoption

  Tim Wright from the Institute of Telecoms Professionals reports from a recent seminar exploring questions around the barriers to commercial, at-scale adoption of the internet of things, and how to overcome them

• July 04, 2019 04 Jul'19

  FireEye ties Microsoft Outlook exploit to Iranian hackers

  US Cyber Command has issued a warning that a patched Microsoft Outlook vulnerability is being exploited by unnamed threat actors, and recommended immediate patching

• July 04, 2019 04 Jul'19

  Competition watchdog launches study into internet firms

  Findings from a Competition and Markets Authority consultation will inform a report aimed at assessing how digital advertising can harm UK consumers

• July 03, 2019 03 Jul'19

  Top VPNs secretly owned by Chinese firms

  Nearly a third of top VPNs are secretly owned by Chinese companies, while other owners are based in countries with weak or no privacy laws, potentially putting users at risk, security researchers warn

• July 02, 2019 02 Jul'19

  Government ramps up efforts to counter fraud with analytics

  Challenges have been outlined and a consultation launched to find ways to reduce fraud and error loss in central and local government through data-driven technologies.

• July 02, 2019 02 Jul'19

  CPS faces legal ruling over refusal to disclose emails with US on WikiLeaks and Assange extradition

  A court will decide whether the Crown Prosecution Service can refuse to neither confirm nor deny the existence of correspondence with US on investigations into Julian Assange and WikiLeaks

• July 02, 2019 02 Jul'19

  Sweden’s Protective Security Act targets cyber risks

  IT suppliers must comply with tighter cyber security requirements, but are being offered help from government agencies

• July 02, 2019 02 Jul'19

  DWP data hub develops prototype skills recommendation engine

  Machine learning algorithm on Microsoft Azure identifies associated skills, based on the skills specified in online job adverts

• July 02, 2019 02 Jul'19

  G-Cloud 11 goes live with 4,200 suppliers securing a place on the framework

  The latest iteration of the G-Cloud framework has gone live, with about 700 additional suppliers thought to have secured a place on it this time around

• July 02, 2019 02 Jul'19

  Watchdog urges biometrics regulation in policing

  The annual report from the biometrics commissioner warns that lack of clear laws on the application of the technologies could further undermine privacy and citizen trust

• July 02, 2019 02 Jul'19

  Post Office back-office error leaves subpostmaster with thousands of pounds extra

  The Post Office has admitted that some subpostmasters are at risk of accounts not balancing due to an error it does not understand

• July 01, 2019 01 Jul'19

  Interview: Matthew Gould, chief executive of NHSX, on transforming health service technology

  NHSX is the latest on a long line of organisations created to overhaul NHS technology – can it make the difference this time? Its new CEO explains why it will

• June 28, 2019 28 Jun'19

  TIN coalition calls for industry action against cyber fraud

  An industry group aimed at improving cyber security by tackling enduring challenges has called for collaboration in the fight against cyber fraud

• June 28, 2019 28 Jun'19

  Cyber crime reporting crucial, say UK police

  UK police are gearing up to make it easier for business to report cyber crime, saying that under-reporting continues to be a challenge

• June 28, 2019 28 Jun'19

  Interview: How Defra is getting its IT systems ready for Brexit

  The director in charge of building and implementing the core systems supporting the department most affected by Brexit talks exclusively to Computer Weekly about the present and future of a new function of hundreds of staff

• June 28, 2019 28 Jun'19

  Interview: John Seglias, chief digital information officer, Defra

  The tech leader at the government department most affected by Brexit talks about digital transformation and carrying out one of the most complex projects in the public sector

• June 27, 2019 27 Jun'19

  DWP looks to extend digital identity capabilities

  Department for Work and Pensions wants to reduce reliance on existing identity assurance methods such as Gov.UK Verify and face-to-face

• June 26, 2019 26 Jun'19

  NHSX ends digital programmes and sets out delivery priorities

  The digital unit concludes tech spending review in the health system, defines delivery missions and drives focus on standards and platforms

• June 26, 2019 26 Jun'19

  Nordic public dispels fears over AI and welcomes its advance

  People in the Nordic countries are more welcoming and less fearful of the advance of artificial intelligence than those in other regions

• June 26, 2019 26 Jun'19

  Six arrested over €24m cryptocurrency theft

  Police have arrested six people in the UK and the Netherlands in connection with the theft of cryptocurrency worth €24m

• June 25, 2019 25 Jun'19

  Half of Dutch IT decision-makers can’t explain blockchain technology

  IT decision-makers in the Netherlands know that blockchain has significant benefits, but half don’t understand how to apply it

• June 25, 2019 25 Jun'19

  Outdated IT systems are hindering patient care

  Lack of modernisation is presenting a threat to patients and healthcare practitioners, says study

• June 25, 2019 25 Jun'19

  APT attack on telcos highlights need for comprehensive defence

  A global cyber attack against multiple telecommunications firms underlines need for comprehensive approach to cyber defence, say researchers and industry commentators

• June 25, 2019 25 Jun'19

  Post Office appoints new chief information officer

  Former Holland & Barrett IT chief joins the Post Office as interim CIO after former incumbent is promoted

• June 25, 2019 25 Jun'19

  Airbus opens cyber innovation hub in Wales

  Newport hub will focus on industrial control systems, artificial intelligence and data analytics

• June 24, 2019 24 Jun'19

  Scotland ‘needs stronger digital leadership’

  Despite some good progress, Scotland needs greater strategic direction to further its digital endeavours, says central auditor

• June 24, 2019 24 Jun'19

  European and UK space agencies start CAV connectivity project

  Academia and telecoms operators partner to investigate 5G and satellite systems for connected and autonomous vehicles, with proofs of concept expected for 2020

• June 24, 2019 24 Jun'19

  Ministry of Defence appoints chief scientific adviser

  The first female to hold the role, professor dame Angela McLean will direct the department's core research programme and advise on all science and technology matters

• June 21, 2019 21 Jun'19

  UK takes world lead in surveillance camera security

  Although the UK is sometimes referred to as “the most surveilled country” in the world, it has taken the lead in setting minimum security requirements for surveillance cameras. But how will this make a difference internationally?

• June 21, 2019 21 Jun'19

  Government must address shortcomings to make data strategy work

  A National Audit Office report outlines the challenges that need to be investigated around making more effective use of data in citizen service delivery and government operations

• June 21, 2019 21 Jun'19

  Surveillance camera czar calls for stronger UK code of practice

  Surveillance cameras are for supporting communities, not spying on them, but the UK needs stronger regulation and citizen engagement in this area, says surveillance camera commissioner

• June 20, 2019 20 Jun'19

  UK citizens call for diversity in AI to be addressed

  Public wants government and tech companies to tackle diversity issues related to the application of artificial intelligence, a study has found

• June 20, 2019 20 Jun'19

  Online porn age-verification checks delayed for six months

  Changes to force UK internet users to prove their age to access adult content are postponed for a third time because of failure to notify the European Commission of key policy details

• June 20, 2019 20 Jun'19

  UK to launch security standard for surveillance cameras

  The UK is launching the world’s first voluntary cyber security standard and compliance certification mark for the manufacturers of surveillance cameras

• June 19, 2019 19 Jun'19

  Women in IT trailblazer Maggie Berry gets OBE

  Early pioneer of networking who aimed to get more women into technology is included in Queen's Birthday Honours

• June 19, 2019 19 Jun'19

  Looming private sector IR35 reforms prompts calls for gig economy-focused tax system overhaul

  The growth of the gig-based economy has exposed weaknesses in the UK tax system – exacerbated by the IR35 reforms – that mean an overhaul is needed, panel claims

• June 19, 2019 19 Jun'19

  Oxford University accepts £150m for artificial intelligence research

  Oxford University has accepted £150m to build a new humanities hub that will include a centre for artificial intelligence ethics research from Stephen Schwarzman, a US private equity boss

• June 19, 2019 19 Jun'19

  UK government pushes data-driven agenda

  A smart data report has been published with consultations under way, while an open call for evidence has been launched to help shape the national data plan

• June 19, 2019 19 Jun'19

  Regional alliances boost Nordic AI industry

  Universities and technology businesses in Nordic countries are working cross-border as part of two pan-Nordic organisations

• June 19, 2019 19 Jun'19

  University graduates to Rubrik backup appliance with Azure cloud

  University of Reading could only back up 20% of its data on an ageing tape library, so it modernised with a Rubrik appliance and Azure cloud storage in a cost-neutral project

• June 19, 2019 19 Jun'19

  Luxembourg tech startups get premium connections

  Luxembourg is at the centre of a continent with ambitious plans to develop a thriving tech industry, but what makes it different?

• June 19, 2019 19 Jun'19

  GDS director general to move on to global promotion role

  Kevin Cunnington will be travelling around the world to promote government services under a newly created unit

• June 18, 2019 18 Jun'19

  Ministry of Justice publishes public cloud security baseline

  Guidelines from the Ministry of Justice aim to avoid potential cloud security issues such as S3 ‘leaky buckets’

• June 18, 2019 18 Jun'19

  Openreach trials will speed up broadband upgrade

  Tests to focus on process of migrating households and businesses to fibre to the premise and voice over IP

• June 18, 2019 18 Jun'19

  UK to host world’s first surveillance camera day

  The UK is to host the world’s first surveillance camera day to raise awareness about surveillance cameras and generate a debate about how they are used

• June 17, 2019 17 Jun'19

  Post Office asks Court of Appeal for permission to appeal judgment in first Horizon trial

  The Post Office has applied to the Court of Appeal to appeal judgment in Horizon trial

• June 17, 2019 17 Jun'19

  Transport for London supports innovation to tackle road congestion

  The London RoadLab programme has selected products using emergent technologies to alleviate problems caused by roadworks

• June 17, 2019 17 Jun'19

  Department of Health aims to drive change through tech innovation

  Revamped Accelerated Access Collaborative is intended to “genuinely drive change” in NHS by identifying the best in healthtech, aligning policy and establishing testing mechanisms

• June 17, 2019 17 Jun'19

  HMRC urged to delay April 2020 extension of IR35 rules to private sector by 'at least' 12 months

  An analysis of the responses HMRC has reportedly received to its consultation on extending the IR35 tax avoidance reforms to the private sector suggests the tax agency is coming under pressure to put its plans on hold for at least 12 months

• June 17, 2019 17 Jun'19

  UK Armed Forces seeks digital recruitment platform provider

  The UK's Armed Forces has gone to market to procure a new digital recruitment platform, to be implemented by March 2022