A Cabinet Office minister has set out plans for a new ‘one stop’ app to enable smartphone users to access central government services.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay MP said it is intended that the app will provide a route through the GOV.UK platform without the use for multiple user names, passwords and online processes.
It is not yet clear how many departments will provide access to services through the app, although the Government Digital Service is currently working with government departments to bring as many services as possible into the app.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson told UKAuthority the app is scheduled for deployment by late 2022, and that its development is being tied in with the work on a single sign-on for central government services.
Barclay (pictured) said the development involves adherence to strong data protection principles so users remain in control of their data, and that use of the app will be optional.
“Now more than ever, it is important that government responds to people’s heightened expectations about the services they use,” he said.
“During the pandemic, people have had to interact with public services in a variety of new ways, including the NHS app and the vaccine booking service.”
“People rightly expect government to be data driven and digitally literate, and this will be a priority for me in my new role.”
Board members
Barclay also announced the members of the new Digital Advisory Board, which has been created to give advice to ministers and officials across government and accelerate digital change.
They are: James Bilefiled, a board director of SThree, MoneySupermarket, Stagecoach, Teach First and the Science Museum; Zaka Mian, former group transformation director of Lloyds Banking Group; Monique Shivanandan, chief information security officer of HSBC, and Matthew Timms, chief digital and information officer of E.ON SE.
Image: By Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0
