UK a World Leader in e-Government

Prime Minister David Cameron is looking to technology and information officers to help him make government more agile and transparent.

Addressing guests at an e-government awards ceremony Cameron said the public sector had the skills and technology to transform government.

"We want government to be more agile, more transparent, more open and accountable. That's the kind of transformation this government is about. And we're looking to you to help us achieve it," he said.

The Prime Minister added: "You have put Britain at the forefront of e-government delivery in the world. We have the technology and skills, we have the innovation and crucially we have the people."

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude reiterated the Prime Minister's sentiments. He said: "This country is at the very forefront of e-government delivery and as we push forward with our important modernising public services programme, digital technology will continue to play a crucial role in driving better services, while lowering costs.

"The work we have already started with our digital champion, Martha Lane-Fox, has shown, for instance, that shifting services to digital channels can transform the relationship between government and individuals – improving service delivery and making them more convenient to use. It is that rare example of a win-win situation."

But such sentiments come in contrast to views expressed by Public Accounts Committee chair Margaret Hodge, who recently said the public sector lacked effective people.

Hodge, a former Labour minister told a conference at the Institute of Government: "The civil service still fails to recruit sufficient people with the appropriate skills to manage public services in the modern world – like effective project managers and qualified IT specialists."

(www.publicservice.co.uk)