IT for government and public sector

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 Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

UK tech companies launch online safety body

Online Safety Tech Industry Association unites 14 technology companies to drive conversation and policy around online safeguarding Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Public sector IT: The road to digital

Progress to digital transformation is patchy in the public sector, but some CIOs are embracing the strategy Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

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 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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 Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuos

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? Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Technology has brought us together, but can it lead us out of lockdown?

The government needs to tell us more about the NHSX contact tracing app - choices made now around privacy and transparency will affect all our lives as we aim to ease lockdown, says the shadow digital minister Continue Reading

By

• Chi Onwurah, Labour

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 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

By

• Jane Hamrin

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 Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

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 Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

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 Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

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 Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

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 Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

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 Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

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 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

‘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 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

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 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Games developers join fight against coronavirus

Sector firms will deliver health messaging to UK citizens though popular games under a partnership with the government Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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 Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

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 Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

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 Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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. Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

After Universal Credit delays, GDS's silence over Gov.uk Verify is embarrassing and shameful

In the past couple of weeks, nearly a million people have signed up for Universal Credit as a result of the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis. Never has the UK government’s move to a digital-first world ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

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 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

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 Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 53

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Alex Scroxton, CW’s security editor, joins Caroline Donnelly and Brian McKenna to talk about the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis, including chancellor Rishi Sunak’s package for the self-employed and how Southeast Asia’s approach has differed from ours. They also talk about using data to govern the public realm Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK
• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor
• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Connect and protect: How the tech sector is responding to the coronavirus crisis

Tech sector trade body TechUK is coordinating the industry's activity to help the UK government tackle the Covid-19 outbreak Continue Reading

By

• Julian David, TechUK

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

CCRC findings on subpostmaster prosecutions reveal incompetence of successive governments

Former subpostmaster who took on the Post Office in a multimillion-pound legal battle speaks out. Continue Reading

By

• Alan Bates

Ministry of Defence releases defence data management strategy

The report sets out how the department will improve the way it manages and uses data Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Tomorrow began last week: Preparing for a Post Covid Lockdown World

There is much to think about while we are in lockdown if we want to live in a relatively free, safe and democratically accountable society afterwards, for however long it takes us to rebuild ... Continue Reading

By

• Philip Virgo, Winsafe Ltd

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 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Governing by data: Limits and opportunities

Governing by the use of data analytics may be fashionable, but what are its limits as well as its opportunities? Lessons from Estonia, Essex, and healthcare Continue Reading

By

• SA Mathieson

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 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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 Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Coronavirus and privacy – finding the middle ground

Data collection has a role to play in fighting the deadly Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, but governments need to be accountable for how it is used Continue Reading

By

• Eduardo Ustaran

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 Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

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 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

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 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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 Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

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 Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

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 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

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” Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Gigabit broadband for new homes is essential to UK’s telecoms ambitions

Digital minister outlines plans to develop UK’s telecoms infrastructure to make it fit for the future Continue Reading

By

• Matt Warman, Digital minister

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’ Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

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 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Surrey goes live with child health system

CSH Surrey goes live with its new platform, with the information on 440,000 children's health now consolidated onto a single platform Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Post Office executives used ‘grotesque predatory capitalism’ throughout Horizon IT scandal

Labour MP Karl Turner tells Computer Weekly that the Post Office Horizon scandal is the most grotesque version of predatory capitalism he has ever seen Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 51

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Clare McDonald, Caroline Donnelly and Brian McKenna discuss the Budget, the role of graph database technology in anti-money laundering compliance, and the Everywoman Tech Awards Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor
• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK
• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

Estonia offers digital tools to countries struggling with coronavirus school closures

Government and tech companies in Baltic state unite to offer advanced digital learning tools to other countries Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Swedish municipalities test AI to drive efficiencies and cost savings

Research in Sweden measures the benefits of using artificial intelligence in local government operations Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

IR35 private sector reforms: Coronavirus prompts Treasury to delay start date to April 2021

HM Treasury confirms roll-out of IR35 reforms to the private sector will be halted for a year to ease the pressure on businesses in the face of the coronavirus outbreak Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

MoD defence capabilities programme in trouble, says NAO

The Ministry of Defence is struggling with its £196bn defence capabilities programme, as 10 of 32 projects, including several technology ones, are in trouble, according to the National Audit Office Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Courts make use of tech to hold remote hearings due to Covid-19

The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary will increase the use of technology in court proceedings as emergency legislation is being drafted to expand powers to allow criminal courts to hold remote hearings during the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

How NHS Digital is helping support the coronavirus crisis

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to NHS Digital about how technology is supporting the health service’s response to the coronavirus crisis. We examine the challenges of running a successful security operations centre. And we look at the emerging datacentre architecture based on composable infrastructure. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Secret Post Office deals cause fury among Horizon IT scandal campaigners

The Post Office has sparked anger with secret settlements with subpostmasters outside the recent legal action against it Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Equality watchdog calls on police to stop using facial recognition

Equalities and Human Rights Commission says use of automatic facial recognition and predictive algorithms by police is discriminatory, stifles freedom of expression and lacks a proper legislative framework Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Councils awarded £1.2m in innovation funding

Six councils will each get up to £350,000 for digital innovation projects aiming to improve services for residents, in the latest round of the Local Digital Fund Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Budget 2020: Full of promises, but is it enough?

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget provided plenty of cash for technology and innovation, but has the government done enough to make the tech industry happy? Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Budget 2020: Thanks for the cash, but there are bigger problems to solve first to boost UK tech

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s first Budget was a step towards making good on the new government’s promise to be “unashamedly” pro-technology. Offering £22bn in annual funding for research and ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

US Department of Defense requests time to re-evaluate section of AWS and Microsoft JEDI bids

The Department of Defense is to request a resubmission of information from Microsoft and Amazon Web Services about their JEDI bids, as the long-running US cloud procurement saga drags on Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

What is the Post Office board doing to right the Horizon wrongs?

Business lawyer Nick Gould compares the treatment of subpostmasters by the Post Office in the Horizon IT scandal with the huge HBOS fraud that saw £1bn stolen from small businesses Continue Reading

By

• Nick Gould

CW Europe: Experts examine Dutch government’s IT problems

Technology experts discuss the challenges and potential solutions to the Netherlands government’s IT problems. Also read how Russia’s VTB and Rostelecom are creating a platform to utilise big data technology, and how Spain’s CaixaBank is using AI to help its staff training. Continue Reading

Fintech workers called to share their experiences of microaggression

Fintech workers were asked to share upsetting workplace incidents as part of an anonymous study Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Budget 2020: Omission of IR35 from chancellor's speech sparks fury from contracting groups

Despite repeated warnings of the damage the incoming IR35 reforms stand to do to the UK economy, contracting groups hit out at the government's decision to press ahead with the changes Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Cross-regulator taskforce on digital economy announced in 2020 Budget

UK regulators will join forces to look at how the potential regulation of the digital platforms and advertising markets would work Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s 2020 Budget pumps £22bn into R&D

The 2020 Budget pledges to increase research and development funding to £22bn a year, £5bn for broadband roll-out and £900m to ensure UK businesses lead the way in “high-potential technologies”, but slashes tax relief for entrepreneurs Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

International Women’s Day provides platform for Nordic women in tech

International annual event reminds tech industry that work needs to be done to reduce inequality, but organisations must work towards this on a daily basis Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

NHS partners with Google to improve health information online

Latest measures will ensure direct access to NHS advice for more than 250 most-searched health conditions Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

MPs told to hold to account those responsible for Post Office Horizon IT scandal

Subpostmasters who had their lives destroyed by a faulty IT system and mistreatment by the Post Office have asked MPs to hold to account the people responsible for the injustices Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

More questions raised about Gov.uk Verify as digital identity chief quits

Lisa Barrett, director of digital identity at GDS and head of the troubled Verify programme, is leaving government as funding questions remain ahead of Budget Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

GDS works on joining up government services

The GDS is assembling a business case as information about the impact of disjointed government offerings is gathered Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

DCMS seeks outside experts to review government data sharing ahead of spending review

The DCMS is seeking consultants to undertake a short-term but strategic project to figure out how to improve data sharing across government ahead of the comprehensive spending review, rolled over from 2019 to 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Enterprise Applications Editor

TechUK lays out proposals for Spring Budget

Trade body TechUK sets out its view on how to accelerate UK growth through technology in its submission to the March 2020 Budget Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari