The UK Government has emphasised the importance of data and digital technology in its plans for reforming the way it operates.
It has included a number of relevant pledges as a feature of its Declaration on Government Reform, unveiled by Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove.
The document has been published to sum up a programme for reform that the Government related to the post-Covid 19 recovery and its agenda to “level up” across the UK.
A section of the document points to the intent to make data central to decision making, taking on the experiences of the public sector during the pandemic. It will involve a presumption of openness and a requirement to share data across departments for analysis to feed into policies.
This will be accompanied by the creation of data inventories to make clear what data exists, where it is stored and how it can be accessed; along with making data visualisation a common tool to help officials understand evidence for their decisions.
It also says that all departments should have access to interoperable data and IT systems and confirms the plan to create a single digital log-in for all government services.
This reflects a belief that, on a broader front, government has the tools to modernise its operations but has to use them to maximum effect.
Gove (pictured) said: “It’s been a consistent feature of our history that the national weaknesses, fissures or fractures that have been laid bare or exacerbated by crises should be addressed with the same energy and single mindedness required for a successful response to the crisis itself.
“It is precisely because the Covid crisis revealed weaknesses in our government and society, because it also showcased strengths, because it forced government to adapt and improve delivery, because the public demand we build back better and because we have knowledge now that we did not possess before that this government is determined to deepen and accelerate our programme of reform.”
Image by Richard Townshed, CC BY 3.0
