IT for government and public sector

Gov.uk Verify ID providers eye the prize of HMRC’s digital users – but what happens without them?

In all the recent talk about whether HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is truly committed to the Cabinet Office’s Gov.uk Verify service, there’s been less said about the commitment of the external ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Sweden uses Minecraft for urban planning

Swedish National Land survey has put its maps on Minecraft to promote its work Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

HPE services and CSC to become DXC Technology

The merger between HP's services division and CSC will launch in April 2017 and is expected to save the companies billions Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

HMRC ID vs Gov.uk Verify – what’s the difference, and why it matters

The long-term row between HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the Government Digital Service (GDS) over online identity assurance broke into the open this week. HMRC published a blog post that ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Public sector IT suppliers blast CCS over rising G-Cloud commission charges

CCS confirms commission charges on G-Cloud sales are to rise from 0.5 to 0.75% when the next iteration of the framework drops in May 2017, but suppliers fear it could harm their ability to innovate Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

GDS, HMRC and Verify: so much for cross-government digital collaboration

Less than a week after Cabinet Office minister Ben Gummer announced the new government transformation strategy, its central premise is already in question after HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

HMRC rejects Gov.uk Verify

HM Revenue and Customs says it won’t be using Gov.uk Verify, which could cause difficulties for the government’s target of having 25 million Verify users by 2020 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Cloud contracts are still a minefield

Cloud computing is maturing in the enterprise space, but the contracts that underpin cloud services have not evolved at the same pace Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government digital strategy ticks the boxes - but real transformation needs more radical ambition

The long wait for the new government digital strategy may have caused frustration in some places, but clearly within the Cabinet Office the extensive delays have brought expectations to a peak of ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Government transformation strategy aims to 'restore faith in democracy', says minister

Cabinet Office minister Ben Gummer outlines his ambitious hopes for the new government transformation strategy at its launch Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Lack of data sharing is barrier to health and social care integration

NHS and social care organisations are still unsure of when to share information because of a “confusing” regulatory framework, and the National Audit Office is unimpressed with the progress on health and social care integration Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government digital transformation strategy promises to ‘serve’ its people

Long-awaited strategy aims to change the way government departments and services work though digital technology Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

How a Dublin court case could derail EU-US data privacy agreements

The Irish Commercial Court will consider whether privacy protection offered by standard contractual clauses for data transfers to the US from Europe is legally valid Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Cahill and Dai Davis

NHS websites defaced by Tunisian Islamist hacktivists

Another series of pro-Islamic State hacktivist attacks on NHS websites has underlined the need to harden websites and keep software up to date as attackers exploit a vulnerability in WordPress Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Middle East and North Africa public cloud spend to hit $2bn by 2020

Middle East-based organisations are turning to public cloud services, with software as a service driving a major year-on-year spending increase Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Google to appeal against order to hand over foreign emails

UK firms urged to consider the risks of non-UK cloud service providers and to encrypt data in the light of another US warrant to access emails held by a US cloud services firm on non-US servers Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government digital transformation strategy finally set to be published this week

The much-delayed plan – now expected to be known as the government transformation strategy – is due to be announced by Cabinet Office minister Ben Gummer Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

London Fire Brigade system crashes cause delays reacting to emergencies

Control room system crashes have been causing delays in London Fire Brigade response times Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Finnish city takes €10bn leap into digitisation

Tampere is encouraging its people, businesses and government organisations to come together to make digital transformation work for everyone Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

How AI is disrupting the role of call centres and call centre staff

Artificial intelligence could eliminate many white-collar jobs in coming decades. Its effects are already being felt in the call centre industry, but there is still no substitute for the human touch Continue Reading

By

• Lara Ponomareff, CEB

Artificial intelligence will increase productivity by sharpening human mind

The combination of AI and humans will triple productivity if businesses get the balance right for different roles Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Post Office facing group litigation over Horizon computer system after watershed decision

The group action against the Post Office that alleges sub-postmasters have been wrongly punished for accounting errors gets a green light from the High Court of Justice Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Mixed feelings on Australian enterprise app market

The enterprise mobile app development market is attracting big money despite a lack of corporate appetite Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

GDS signals intent to move public sector off PSN

Government Digital Service’s Technology Leaders Network determines that the internet is an adequate solution to support the vast majority of public sector work Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Lords ‘deeply concerned’ about Digital Economy Bill data-sharing clauses

Digital Economy Bill comes under fire again for its data-sharing principles, this time from the House of Lords Delegated Powers Committee Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

GDS declares public cloud secure enough for "vast majority" of public sector

Government Digital Service moves to allay public sector concerns about using off-premise services in a bid to speed up cloud adoption beyond Whitehall Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Better use of data can improve government delivery of services, says John Manzoni

Civil service chief John Manzoni highlights the potential and need for the government’s use of data to improve public services Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

3D printing proves a disruptive force in Asean manufacturing

3D printing adoption is set to accelerate in Southeast Asia after a delayed start Continue Reading

By

• Ai Lei Tao

Australian government technology suffers failure after failure

Former government IT leader says Australia’s IT is so bad that if the government were a private sector organisation, it would fail Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

The evolution of smart Dubai

Aisha Bin Bishr, director general at Smart Dubai Office, discusses how Dubai is evolving as a smart city with the support of local telecoms provider Du. Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

Davos: Technology poses new risks to jobs, economies and society

Politicians and business leaders will discuss the risks posed by technology to jobs, political stability and cyber security at the World Economic Forum in Davos Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Tech focus helps Singapore go second in globalisation index

Singapore is the second most globalised economy in the world and its IT infrastructure is critical to this achievement Continue Reading

By

• Ai Lei Tao

Brexit should not hinder 5G development, says report

A report commissioned by the government claims the UK’s 2016 vote to leave the European Union should have minimal impact on the country’s ability to lead on the development of 5G networks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Former Surrey NHS IT chief and supplier both jailed for corruption

Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s former informatics director goes to jail for accepting £80,000 worth of bribes from a supplier in return for an IT contract Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

UKCloud cuts cloud storage pricing for public sector customers and sticks boot into US rivals

Public sector-focused cloud provider claims latest round of price cuts means its services are cheaper to use than some of its US counterparts Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

UK youngsters unwittingly exposing private data

The UK children's commissioner has called for better support for child privacy after study shows most are unknowingly agreeing to share private data Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Customer-first approach will make 2017 a challenge for Dutch CIOs

CIOs in the Netherlands could see their strategies lead to thousands of jobs being cut as businesses automate Continue Reading

By

• Rian van Heur

CIO interview: MoD’s DII replacement will feed government as a platform

Mike Stone, who will soon be leaving his position of CIO at the Ministry of Defence (MoD), explains how the MoD’s DII replacement will feed into government as a platform Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

European court delivers blow to Snoopers’ Charter

Parts of the controversial Investigatory Powers Act relating to the bulk collection of communications data have been ruled unlawful by the European Court of Justice Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Top 10 IT security stories of 2016

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 IT security stories of 2016: Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Typo allowed Russian hackers to access US Democratic Party emails

Typographical mistake in an email warning of a phishing attack on the US Democrats led to thousands of private emails being accessed and published by Russian-backed hackers Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

European law enforcement seeking smart ways to fight cyber crime

Cyber criminals are always likely to be better resourced than law enforcement. Now, national and regional police forces in Europe are switching tactics to even the odds. Under-resourced law enforcement needs a smarter approach as cyber crime becomes increasingly prevalent and sophisticated, backed by the money and expertise of organised crime groups set up and run as well-resourced and efficient professional business organisations. Cyber crime operations typically have teams dedicated to looking at open source intelligence, targets’ physical environments, weaknesses in supply chains, and potential collaborators inside target organisations to enable sophisticated, blended attacks that involve a combination of actions against a range of vulnerabilities, making them difficult to detect and defend against. Continue Reading

Government Transformation Strategy to 'fundamentally' change the way departments operate

A background document seen by Computer Weekly outlines details of the forthcoming Government Transformation Strategy Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

IT Priorities 2017: Nordic organisations to spend more on cloud services

The adoption of cloud computing in its many guises will be a top priority in the Nordic region in 2017 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The United Arab Emirates enterprise IT trends for 2017

The UAE is already a leader in areas such as smart city developments, and 2017 looks set to see organisations in the country increase its adoption of other transformational IT Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Internet of things gains momentum in Southeast Asia

IoT has been much hyped in Southeast Asia, and organisations in the region are testing the technology's potential Continue Reading

By

• John Tan

UK falls below global cyber security confidence

Global confidence in ability to accurately assess cyber risk has fallen in the past year, but the UK has fallen below the global average Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Top 10 ANZ enterprise IT stories of 2016

Here is a rundown of Computer Weekly’s most popular ANZ enterprise IT articles for 2016 Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

EC proposes simpler VAT rules to help e-commerce businesses

European Commission sets out proposals for simplified tax rules to “unlock e-commerce and make it easier for online businesses” Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

CW ASEAN: Building a digital future

In this month's CW ASEAN, read how Singapore is investing in technologies and skills to become a leader in the digital age. We analyze how the government has reorganized two departments to help digital technology prosper and hear from those in the finance and education sectors backing the move, as well as the man heading the newly formed department. We also look at how desktop virtualization will continue to grow in the Asean region, and focus on one example in Thailand, where the country’s health ministry is embracing virtualization in a push towards e-health. This issue also covers how organisations in Malaysia and Singapore are facing tough competition to attract the right skills to drive their IT strategies. Continue Reading

US and UK government expand surveillance powers

The US has introduced wide new hacking powers for federal agents a day after the UK's Investigatory Powers Act firmed up bulk surveillance powers for intelligence and polices services Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

CIO interview: Neil Moore, head of ICT, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service

Hampshire Fire and Rescue’s CIO talks about collaborating, moving to the cloud and getting staff on board with digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

Group litigation against Post Office in Horizon system dispute prepares for next stage

Postmasters’ legal case against the Post Office claims that computer system is to blame for losses, not false accounting or theft Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Alleged hacker Lauri Love’s ‘life will be destroyed’ under Trump regime

Supporters fear for activist Lauri Love if his extradition to face hacking charges to the US goes ahead Continue Reading

By

• Fiona O'Cleirigh and Bill Goodwin

Dutch IT ministry needed to take digital lead

Whenever the media covers a failed Dutch government IT project, the question is always asked whether the government should have a ministry of IT Continue Reading

By

• Rian van Heur

Ordnance Survey to lay groundwork for UK 5G networks

The government has asked Ordnance Survey to develop a planning and mapping tool to help determine the future locations of 5G mobile network infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW Benelux: Mobile payments boom

In this quarter’s CW Benelux, we look at how a combination of the right technology and consumer acceptance is driving mobile commerce in the Netherlands. We also hear from the CIO of Brussels Airlines, which is transforming its business digitally through a strategy that links traditional IT with its customers through a digital skin, and the CIO of HR services provider Randstand Group Netherlands, for which technology is becoming crucial in its communication with clients and candidates. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Government data security confusing, finds PAC

A Public Accounts Committee hearing shows the government’s data and cyber security landscape is chaotic and confusing Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

UK almost bottom of OECD pile for ICT investment

The UK ranks low in terms of how much it invests in the ICT infrastructure as a proportion of GDP Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Amber Rudd orders Lauri Love extradition to US to face hacking charges

Engineering student Lauri Love faces trials in three US states and a possible 99-year jail sentence for allegedly hacking into US government computer systems as part of a political protest, despite concerns over his health Continue Reading

By

• Fiona O'Cleirigh

GDS strategy aims to 'take digital transformation further'

An early draft of the new Government Digital Transformation Strategy, seen by Computer Weekly, aims to tackle the challenge of breaking down civil service IT siloes Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

GDS aiming for 25 million users of Gov.uk Verify by 2020

Early draft of new GDS strategy reveals an ambitious target for its identity assurance service Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Australia and New Zealand IT pros on bigger salaries than UK equivalents

Aussie IT pros are better rewarded than their counterparts in the UK, according to surveys Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK government re-announces £1.9bn cyber security spend

Five-year spending increase - announced by Chancellor Philip Hammond 12 months after George Osborne did so - will support new UK cyber security strategy Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The future of connected cars

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine how software is reshaping the car industry, with internet-connected cars presenting challenges and opportunities for the sector. IT suppliers are putting up prices in the UK as the value of the pound falls – we look at the implications. And Eurostar’s digital chief talks about overhauling IT to meet demanding passenger expectations. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

The clampdown on IT contractors in Whitehall is another risk for digital government progress

IT contractors working in government are under pressure like never before over their tax status, and many people in Whitehall IT fear that a clampdown on the use of temporary staff could lead to a ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

SDN trailblazer Big Switch Networks launches in UK

Having established a base of paying customers through a key partnership with Dell, SDN supplier Big Switch Networks is opening its first European offices and gunning for Cisco’s ACI business Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Tech industry helps drive GDP growth post-Brexit

The technology sector is one of the key drivers behind the UK economy’s 0.5% growth in the months following Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

GDS under Kevin Cunnington (so far) - different, and yet the same

Computer Weekly’s first opportunity to meet with Kevin Cunnington, the new director general of the Government Digital Service (GDS) answered a lot of questions – but raised plenty too. It’s ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Interview: Kevin Cunnington, director general, Government Digital Service

The government’s new digital chief talks about his plans for the future and the challenges of transforming public services Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

GDS goes nationwide to ease relations with government departments

Government Digital Service aims to open more regional outposts for training civil servants in digital skills, says new chief Kevin Cunnington Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Armed forces minister wants military recruiters to "think different" to attract cyber security pros

Armed Forces minister Mike Penning says military must rethink how it recruits trainees to attract people with the cyber security skills the country needs to protect itself Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Cloud backup saves data after fire destroys school

Data from The Academy secondary school in the seaside town of Selsey was restored just hours after a fire destroyed most of the premises, thanks to a cloud backup agreement set up a year earlier Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Matt Hancock calls for market to lead on full FTTP broadband

Digital and culture secretary used his keynote speech at Broadband World Forum to call for a national market-led fibre-to-the-premise roll-out, and pledged government support to make it happen Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Snowden: the IT analyst turned whistleblower who exposed mass surveillance

Oliver Stone's biopic on Edward Snowden reaches the heart of the ethical crisis posed by mass surveillance for the state and ordinary citizens Continue Reading

By

• Fiona O'Cleirigh

Information security needs to cast recruitment net wider, says panel

Companies struggling to fill info sec roles should focus on finding people who can do what they need, not on qualifications, according to a security industry panel Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Saving Lauri Love: activists plan their next move

An eclectic bunch of activists, charity workers and reformed hackers spent a rainy Sunday afternoon plotting their next move in a campaign to save Lauri Love from extradition to the US on hacking charges Continue Reading

By

• Julia Gregory

DCMS appoints director general for digital and media

Matthew Gould is taking on the role as director general for digital and media to help build “digital ecosystems” and promote innovation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Singapore aims to become a digital leader

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how the city-state of Singapore is investing in skills and technology to become a leading digital nation – and what the UK could learn. We examine how to prevent legacy IT becoming a hindrance to digital transformation. And we look at the impact of controversial new tax rules on the UK’s IT contractor community. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Digital Economy Bill lacks clarity on data sharing, experts say

The Digital Economy Bill needs to firm up its definitions on data sharing and improve transparency to avoid losing public trust, according to experts Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

GDS: Will the strategy still be delivery?

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is an uncertain place at the moment – or so the rumour mill says. The team are carrying on with their pre-existing strategy – one that was written last year to ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Gary McKinnon: Why Lauri Love should be spared the nightmare of extradition

Computer activist Lauri Love should be spared a life sentence in a US jail, says former hacker Gary McKinnon Continue Reading

By

• Gary McKinnon

IR35 dispute prompts mass walkout of IT contractors from MoD agency

Public sector IT contractors leave UK Hydrographic Office en masse over IR35 clampdown, Computer Weekly understands Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Another senior leader leaving GDS as data director Paul Maltby to go

Three directors of Government Digital Service have departed since appointment of new director general Kevin Cunnington in August Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Smartwatches banned from UK Cabinet as EC plans IoT security standards

The EC is planning a security certification scheme for internet of things devices as the UK Cabinet bans smartwatches amid heightened fears of cyber espionage Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

More virtualisation to come in mature Australian market

Australia has been hailed as a rapidly growing market for mobile virtualisation Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Even GDS creator Francis Maude is worried about future of GDS

Followers of the ups and downs of the Government Digital Service (GDS) will be aware of the question marks surrounding the future of the organisation and the Whitehall in-fighting over its role. ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Demand rises for low-cost flash storage across Australia

Flash storage gains popularity in Australia, as smaller organisations are attracted by lower prices and higher capacity Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

How Microsoft aims to tackle information overload

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we hear from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella about how the software giant wants to use cloud, machine learning and innovative datacentre technologies to open up access to information. Our new buyer’s guide looks at the emerging trend of network function virtualisation. And we examine the role of blockchain in cloud data security. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Government invests £220m in tech projects to help "future-proof" post-Brexit economy

Chancellor Philip Hammond highlights the role high-tech industries have to play in safe-guarding the post-Brexit economy Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Dutch government uses Microsoft Dynamics to improve recruitment

Government recruitment and career management of senior civil servants in the Netherlands has been improved through a Microsoft Dynamics implementation Continue Reading

By

• Rian van Heur

NGOs challenge UK and US mass surveillance in human rights court

Privacy International, Liberty and the American Civil Liberties Union are among 10 human rights groups backing a landmark challenge to mass surveillance in the European Court of Human Rights Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Business secretary calls for national broadband upgrade

In a speech to the Institute of Directors’ annual conference, Greg Clark calls for a major broadband upgrade to support the reinvention of the government’s industrial strategy Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ministry of Justice IT systems are ‘fragile and precarious’, say MPs

Public Accounts Committee calls on ministry to urgently improve its “inefficient” IT systems to avoid delays to service transformation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Government’s lack of clear plan for digital NHS poses risk to ‘credibility’

The King‘s Fund warns that the government’s plans for a digital NHS lack clarity around funding and priorities Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Computer Weekly 50th anniversary special

It’s been 50 years since Computer Weekly's launch on 22 September 1966. To mark this achievement, we have compiled a special edition of the magazine to reflect on how much the British technology industry has contributed over that time – and, of course, to celebrate our role in keeping IT professionals in touch with those developments – week-in, week-out, for half a century. Read this 100-page anniversary special now. Continue Reading

Alleged hacker Lauri Love can be extradited to the US, court rules

Westminster Magistrates’ Court has ruled that alleged hacker, Lauri Love, can be extradited to the US, where he could face a 99-year prison sentence Continue Reading

By

• Fiona O'Cleirigh

DWP to begin private beta roll-out of CIS database

The Department for Work and Pensions has been giving its customer information system an overhaul, and will begin deploying it to a limited number of users this month Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Lauri Love: the student accused of hacking the US

How did a brilliant but fragile computer science student from a rural English town end up facing life imprisonment in the US? Computer Weekly speaks to Lauri Love Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin and Niels Ladefoged

Lauri Love - my battle with extradition

A court ruled today that Lauri Love, a 31-year old electrical engineering student, from Suffolk, can be extradited to the US to face hacking charges. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly