IT for government and public sector

Interview: Uber driver Yaseen Aslam on his Supreme Court battle and what’s next for gig workers

Private hire driver and union organiser Yaseen Aslam speaks to Computer Weekly about his legal battle with Uber and what the UK Supreme Court ruling means to workers in the gig economy Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

UK technology business created every 30 minutes in 2020

New figures on UK business creation show surge in entrepreneurs setting up technology businesses during 2020, while the sector’s hiring efforts climb back to pre-pandemic levels Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Why the London Data Charter could be a foundation stone in the city’s recovery

London First’s director of connectivity and competitiveness, David Lutton, explains why data is at the core of the capital’s recovery plan Continue Reading

By

• David Lutton

Potential miscarriages of justice of Scottish subpostmasters move to full review

The Post Office Horizon scandal gets bigger as subpostmaster prosecutions in Scotland are reviewed Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK digital regulators set out plans to strengthen cooperation

Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum outlines plans for the coming year, marking a shift towards a more collaborative regulatory approach Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Scotland launches digital strategy

Updated strategy aims to equip Scotland for technological transformation post-coronavirus and focuses on building an ethical digital nation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Data-driven innovation needs trustworthy governance

The pandemic has given us a glimpse of what data-driven technology can do for society – and we cannot go back to the status quo Continue Reading

By

• Edwina Dunn, Computer Weekly

Scottish farm subsidy body slashes dev time with Pure all-flash

Rural directorate ditched hybrid flash EMC SAN for Pure all-flash storage and cut developer time in half, while beta testing Cloud Block Store and planning container project Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

Digital knowledge must be integral part of Dutch police training

 Continue Reading

UK launches fellowship to attract tech talent to government

Programme jointly run by Number 10 and Government Digital Service will see 10 leaders enlisted to address key challenges in the public sector Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Met Police chooses Capgemini as strategic IT infrastructure services provider

Capgemini has a history of providing the force with day-to-day technology services, and will now deliver its infrastructure services under the Pegasus programme Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Welsh FA boss linked to recruitment of controversial former Post Office executive to step down

Football Association Wales CEO Jonathan Ford is stepping down after losing a vote of no confidence triggered by the controversial appointment of Angela van den Bogerd, who was involved in the Post Office IT scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government’s refusal of freedom of information request about Post Office scandal ‘deeply concerning’

MP condemns department’s ‘bizarre’ rejection of freedom of information request linked to Post Office IT scandal Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Police crack world’s largest cryptophone network as criminals swap EncroChat for Sky ECC

Belgian and Dutch police have breached the encryption of users of Sky ECC, the world’s largest cryptophone network. There are significant parallels with the international police operation against the EncroChat cryptophone network which led to hundreds of arrests Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Belgian police raid 200 premises in drug operation linked to breach of encrypted phone network

More than 1,600 police and law enforcement officials conduct drug raids after the compromise of an encrypted mobile phone network that has parallels with EncroChat Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Prime minister yet to respond to serious subpostmaster concerns over Horizon IT scandal inquiry

Subpostmaster victims who have spent millions bringing the Post Office IT scandal to light have received no reply to their concerns from Boris Johnson Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

US teases retaliation over state-backed cyber attacks

Consequences for alleged perpetrators of the SolarWinds attack are expected within the next few weeks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Foreign Affairs Committee launches inquiry into tech and the future of UK foreign policy

Committee looks for evidence on how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office can respond to opportunities and challenges brought by new and emerging technologies Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Cumbria and Nottinghamshire care homes pilot diagnostic telemedicine

Two care homes trial telemedicine system that allows GPs to carry out detailed patient assessments without leaving the surgery Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government to change unfair private prosecution rules used to prosecute innocent subpostmasters

Government agrees to change private prosecution rules that were abused by the Post Office in its pursuit of subpostmasters wrongly accused of financial crimes Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nordic innovators change emphasis on gender equality in society

Female technology innovators in the Nordics take a different approach to trying to improve opportunities for women Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Nottinghamshire schools suspend online learning following cyber attack

Cyber attack on central trust that manages secondary schools in Nottinghamshire leaves them unable to access IT systems and deliver remote lessons Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Sarah Wilkinson, most influential person in UK tech 2021 – winner’s speech

In this video from Computer Weekly’s annual UKtech50 event, in partnership with Spinks, Sarah Wilkinson, CEO of NHS Digital, gives her acceptance speech as the 2021 most influential person in UK tech Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Innovation underpinned by trustworthy governance, says CDEI

Public support for greater use of digital technologies such as AI depends on how much trust people have in its governance, says report Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Parliament bill to create the UK's Advanced Research and Invention Agency

The ‘high-risk, high-reward’ UK equivalent of ARPA will be provided with powers to fund and develop projects, including exemption from freedom of information requests and 10 years to prove its own success Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Budget 2021: Tax relief for data and cloud, digital skills for SMEs, more IT firepower for HMRC

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a slew of tech-related measures in this year's Budget, which also included a visa review for highly-skilled IT professionals and a £375m fund for innovative businesses Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

UK’s Arkivum up for €4.8m EU science data archive project

CERN-led multi-petabyte scale research data archive bid will use Google cloud and compete with AWS-based and open source designs from other providers Libnova and Onedata Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

IR35 private sector reforms: Hays calls on Treasury to delay April 2021 start date by a year

UK and Ireland managing director of recruitment giant Hays writes to HM Treasury to demand a delay and review of the government’s plans to roll out the IR35 reforms to the private sector from April 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

How Aberdeenshire Council is using Cherwell’s ITSM platform

Tech leaders are seeing opportunities to expand the remit of IT service management beyond IT Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

EU seeking pan-European Covid-19 passport solution

The European Union’s proposal could see the creation of a Covid-19 vaccine passport to enable travel across the EU Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HMCTS rolls out digital case management system

The Common Platform digital system aims to make it easier to share and manage case information across the criminal justice system Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Reading Borough Council to overhaul IT infrastructure

Council and its children’s services partner award contracts worth £13.2m for shared IT infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Digital secretary Dowden outlines UK post-Brexit data approach

The UK government is searching for a new information commissioner with an updated remit to use data to support growth and innovation, and plans on reaching new international data partnerships Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Budget 2021: Putting tech at the core of the plan for growth

This week’s UK government Budget represents a great opportunity to place tech and digital as the cornerstone of UK economic growth after Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Julian David, TechUK

On digital identity, the government gets it wrong again

The latest government proposals to regulate the digital identity sector continue to misunderstand how such a market works – a more API-based approach is needed to deliver the clear benefits of online ID Continue Reading

By

• Jon Nash, Demos

DCMS gives tablet devices to people with learning disabilities

The government is providing thousands of free tablet devices to those with learning disabilities to help them stay connected Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

UKtech50 2021: The most influential people in UK technology

Computer Weekly has announced the 11th annual UKtech50 – our definitive list of the movers and shakers in the UK tech sector Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

UKtech50 interview: Sarah Wilkinson, CEO, NHS Digital

The UKtech50’s most influential person in UK IT in 2021, NHS Digital CEO Sarah Wilkinson, talks about how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the speed of projects, staff pressures and key leadership lessons Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Facebook’s AI doctoral research programme makes inroads into UK

Facebook collaborates with University College London to bring artificial intelligence doctoral research programme to the UK, with aim to open-sourcing the findings Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Vaccine passports prove an ethical minefield

Privacy campaigners warn that vaccine passports may turn out to be discriminatory and invasive, while technologists agree careful consideration must be given to their design Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Internet companies should provide real-time data on disinformation, Lords told

Fact-checking experts tell House of Lords inquiry that upcoming Online Safety Bill should force internet companies to provide real-time information on suspected disinformation, and warn against over-reliance on AI-powered algorithms to moderate content Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Sadiq Khan wants innovators to support London's recovery

Mayor of London announces partners and goals for the capital’s £1m Resilience Fund, and an extra £500,000 to develop design-led solutions aimed at the challenges presented by the crisis Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Appointment of disgraced former Post Office director triggers vote of no confidence in Welsh FA boss

Vote of no confidence in Football Association of Wales boss triggered by recruitment of former Post Office executive who tried to mislead a judge in IT trial Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Subpostmaster group calls for prime minister to pause Horizon ‘whitewash’ inquiry

Subpostmasters call for Boris Johnson to pause and reshape the government’s Horizon inquiry Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Industry concerns over government digital identity plans risk a confusing outcome for users

A flurry of recent activity suggests the government is ramping up its plans for the long-awaited demise of Gov.uk Verify, its failed attempt to produce a digital identity system for online public ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Rogue drones beware: We’re here to ground you

Eugene Kaspersky exclusively lifts the lid on a mysterious, shiny device that’s been sitting in his office Continue Reading

By

• Eugene Kaspersky, Kaspersky

Post Office Horizon and the subpostmasters’ justice fight – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

In this episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Karl Flinders joins Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald, and Brian McKenna to discuss the Post Office Horizon system that brought havoc to the lives of subpostmasters and subpostmistresses Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA
• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK
• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CyberScotland offers centralised security resource hub

Newly launched partnership brings together security resources for individuals and organisations across Scotland Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Startup founders worried about proposed capital gains tax changes

British technology startups are concerned about proposed changes to widen the UK’s capital gains tax, with just over four in five saying they would consider moving their enterprise abroad Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Pandemic has exposed fractures in cyber fraud strategy

RUSI report urges a bolder and more coordinated response to cyber-enabled fraud as the pandemic lays bear the scale of the problem Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK to launch 'high-risk, high-reward' research agency, dubbed ARIA

Backed by £800m of public investment, the Advanced Research & Invention Agency (ARIA) will identify and fund groundbreaking science and technology Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

European Commission proposes UK data adequacy agreement

The publication of two draft data adequacy decisions brings the UK closer to a final positive decision, which will enable the continued free flow of data between the EU and the UK if green-lit by member states Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Fixing government digital transformation – lessons from the early days of GDS

As a new organisation is formed to lead UK digital government, three former government digital leaders share the lessons they learned from the early days of the Government Digital Service Continue Reading

By

• Jerry Fishenden, James Duncan and James Findlay

Biden will act on cyber security to fix SolarWinds mess

US will take action to modernise its defences in the wake of the SolarWinds attack, says US government cyber lead Anne Neuberger Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fujitsu bosses knew about Post Office Horizon IT flaws, says insider

A former senior developer who worked for Fujitsu on the Post Office IT system that led to subpostmasters being falsely accused of fraud, has claimed bosses knew of fundamental flaws before going live Continue Reading

By

• Nick Wallis

Swedish police fined for unlawful use of facial-recognition app

Sweden’s data watchdog has found that Swedish police failed to conduct the data protection checks required by law before using controversial facial-recognition tool Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

HMRC accused of 'utter hypocrisy' over use of IT contractors enrolled in tax avoidance schemes

Campaign group calls for HMRC to face an investigation, while accusing the department of ‘utter hypocrisy’ for using IT contractors enrolled in disguised remuneration schemes Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

City of Helsinki adopts MyData principles to improve digital services

Principles on the use of personal data for the benefit of society will guide Finnish capital’s ambitious digital plans Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Assessing UK law enforcement data adequacy

Data protection experts discuss the consequences of achieving data adequacy between the UK and EU for the UK’s intelligence services and criminal justice sector Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Vaccine passports highlight social impact of systems design

Vaccine or immunity passports are an opportunity to advance the design of trustworthy digital systems, but much more work still needs to be done Continue Reading

By

• Carsten Maple

HMRC denies misleading House of Lords over IT contractors’ use of tax avoidance schemes

MPs from Loan Charge All-Party Parliamentary Group write to HMRC CEO Jim Harra to demand the department be investigated for breaching the civil service code Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

NHSX set to become part of new NHS England 'transformation directorate'

Latest plans for the National Health Service’s central digital strategy arm are currently at the proposal stage Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Central government should promote data policy compliance, say civil servants

Most civil servants want the government to gain additional powers to promote data policy compliance to ensure better use of data, according to research Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Digital investments will add £232bn to UK economy by 2040

The UK economy could grow by £232bn over the next two decades if investments in digital technologies continue Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Post Office to offer digital ID services to customers

Post Office partnership with Yoti is intended to expand customer choice as to how people prove their identity when accessing services Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NCSC recognises UK’s top cyber schools

National Cyber Security Centre CyberFirst Schools initiative has handed out 14 gold, silver and bronze awards recognising excellence in cyber security teaching Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government to impose new digital identity system across all Gov.uk services

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove writes to Whitehall departments mandating the use of a new digital identity system that will allow citizens to be tracked across the Gov.uk website Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

University benefited from early virtual desktop investments when pandemic struck

Edinburgh Napier University was able to react quickly to some of the main challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK border surveillance regime highly privatised, says Privacy International

Research from Privacy International raises concerns about the deep involvement of technology companies in the development and deployment of various technologies throughout the UK’s border regime, along with the lack of scrutiny they receive Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

The government’s ‘blue skies’ funding agency lacks purpose, MPs find

The £800m research and development funding agency announced in December 2019, lacks a clear purpose so far, according to the Science and Technology Committee Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government launches digital identity trust framework

The government’s draft framework, which aims to set out rules for the use of digital identities, will be tested with industries, services, users and organisations ahead of a final version being published Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Nordic states launch joint drone development initiative

Nordic Drone Initiative backed by 16 public and privately owned organisations in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark to probe the efficient use of airspace for drones Continue Reading

Tech sector calls for renewed cooperation in global digital tax talks

Industry groups want renewed multilateral negotiations between countries about taxation of the digital economy in the wake of Joe Biden’s election as US president Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Oracle claims major win in Australian public sector

Australian Data Centres will deploy Oracle’s Dedicated Region Cloud@Customer to host cloud services for the federal government Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Facebook sued for data-sharing practices with third parties

Data protection claim filed in London against social media giant for its alleged failure to give at least one million users in England and Wales meaningful control over their personal data Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Government launches review of use of health data for research

The review, which will be led by Ben Goldacre, will look at home-efficient and safe use of health data for research and analysis Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Experian to close more than two million Gov.uk Verify accounts

Gov.uk Verify’s largest identity provider is closing down its accounts, telling users to re-register with one of the two remaining providers by the end of March 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

‘Batman Begins’ cyber attack is a warning to CNI providers

A thwarted cyber attack in a Florida town that could have resulted in the poisoning of the water supply is a timely reminder of the vulnerability of critical services Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Audi fine-tunes its digital performance to boost online car sales

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the digital chief at Audi UK discusses how the carmaker is tackling the slump in new car sales. One of the largest global malware botnets has been taken down, but how much of a blow will it be for cyber criminals? And we hear how one county council made huge savings on its SAP installation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Interview: Robert Opp, chief digital officer, United Nations Development Programme

Chief digital officer of the United Nations Development Programme talks about the relationship between digital technologies and sustainability, and how it can be used for a more environmentally-friendly and inclusive future Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

NHSX backs mobile app to detect kidney disease

The app, which is being funded by the AI in Health and Care Award programme, turns a smartphone camera into a clinical-grade tool to help detect kidney disease Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

North-West England ‘perfect’ growth area for tech startups

Industry groups mapping the UK’s technology landscape say the North-West of England is a hotspot for growing tech firms, which benefit from increasing investment and geographic proximity to academic and business support networks Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Data of thousands of Dutch citizens leaked from government Covid-19 systems

Weak access controls and outdated systems blamed for leaking of the personal details of thousands of Dutch citizens tested for Covid-19 Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

EncroChat: Appeal court finds ‘digital phone tapping’ admissible in criminal trials

Appeal Court decides EncroChat-encrypted phone records can be used in criminal trials. Critics say the decision means phone tapping no longer has a ‘clear meaning in the digital age’ Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Mayor of London launches digital inclusion initiative

Taskforce focused on increasing digital inclusion in London will promote digital skills and increase access to devices and connectivity Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Government R&D funding fails to maximise ‘catapult’ potential

Barriers in the UK’s research and development funding system mean technology and innovation centres, also known as catapults, are prevented from maximising their potential economic impact Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Financial regulatory body bombarded with malicious emails

New disclosures reveal the FCA’s systems bounced almost a quarter of a million malicious emails in a three-month period Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Security firm Stormshield loses source code in cyber attack

Source code from two products developed by French cyber security firm was compromised in a December 2020 incident Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UKRI should speed up Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund approval processes, says NAO

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’s lengthy approval process leads to delays in funding projects and could be a deterrent, according to the National Audit Office Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

CCS goes live with £800m NHS IT framework

Digital Capability for Health framework covers development and IT management services for health and social care organisations Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Let’s build on the innovation shown by UK tech during pandemic

The UK’s technology sector has innovated and shown leadership through the Covid-19 crisis, particularly with developments in AI. It is now time to maintain and build on that progress, so the UK remains a global force in tech innovation Continue Reading

By

• Bev White, Nash Squared

CDEI: Local government data use must keep up Covid momentum

The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation says momentum in local authority data use during the Covid-19 pandemic is in danger of being dissipated without central government investment and support for data skills development Continue Reading

By

• Brian McKenna, Senior Analyst, Business Applications

Venture capital trusts lobby for relaxed state aid rules

Venture Capital Trust Association chair speaks to Computer Weekly about how the UK’s exit from the EU means state aid rules can be rewritten to allow for the expansion of funding mechanisms used by tech startups Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Google grows cloud sales as parent’s profits top $40bn

Alphabet announces massive overall profits and increased Google cloud sales Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

‘Classic’ Cerber ransomware targets health sector in high volumes

Cerber ransomware-as-a-service seems to have re-emerged as one of the most critical cyber threats facing healthcare organisations, reports VMware Carbon Black Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ten startups graduate from virtual reality-focused accelerator

Startups focusing on building new immersive technology products have completed Digital Catapult’s Augmentor accelerator programme Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Nordic region provides autonomous vehicle test bed

Nordic region has the suppliers, environment and appetite for pioneering the development of autonomous vehicles Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Liverpool City Council upgrades to cloud-based contact centre

An 8x8 integrated cloud PaaS contact centre with voice, team chat and meetings support is helping to drive the council’s digital agenda Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

NHS Digital completes NHSmail migration to the cloud

NHS Digital’s Chris Parsons shares how the organisation managed to migrate more than 2.1 million NHSmail accounts to the cloud during a global pandemic Continue Reading

By

• Chris Parsons

West Midlands refreshes digital strategy

Combined authority’s 2021-2026 digital roadmap aims to address the digital divide and make the West Midlands the most digitally connected region in the country Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad