Interview: UK national statistician on how data has helped the PM – and the public – in coronavirus response
To mark World Statistics Day, Professor Sir Ian Diamond talks to PublicTechnology about how the work of statisticians has been crucial in supporting government’s pandemic response, as well as his thoughts on the media and politicians’ use of numbers, and how the ONS is preparing for the census
MPs urge HMRC to examine whether Making Tax Digital is ‘reasonable and affordable’ for taxpayers before proceeding with rollout
PAC tells department it is ‘not convinced’ by expected benefits
DfE sets out on 18-month £10m digital services drive
Department awards contract to London tech consultancy
Digital system for Scottish food banks
Scottish Tech Army initiative to help out with new system for volunteer management
British Airways data-breach fine cut from £183m to £20m after ICO considers coronavirus impact
Airline slapped with record penalty by ICO – albeit one that is grossly reduced on the regulator’s original intention
HMRC sets out plan for £5m rollout of EU-wide import IT system
The Import Control System 2 will be rolled out in three phases over 16 months
DWP faces ‘significant increase’ in fraud and error, watchdog warns
NAO report reveals that, following heavy coronavirus-related recruitment, departmental staffing levels may return to 2013 levels
MoJ awards £5.6m cloud migration contract to London firm
Ministry picks Automation Logic for deal related to ‘modernisation platform’
Health data watchdog finds public acceptance of increased information-sharing during coronavirus – but not beyond
National Data Guardian report finds that as many as a third of population lack trust in government use of data
Minister says HMRC needs another 1,000 staff before transition period ends
Lord Agnew urges traders to make necessary arrangements
How can councils create a digital workplace?
At the recent Local Government ICT Summit, PublicTechnology talked to Gloucestershire County Council and SAP Concur about how authorities can support new ways of working
What sensitive data did the Home Office lose in Belgrade?
Department’s annual report shows, for the first time in many years, documents or data lost from a secure government building had to be reported to the ICO. PublicTechnology finds out more.
‘Unless you get the ethics of data right, you'll fail on the effectiveness as well’
The head of the Royal Statistical Society Stian Westlake talks algorithms, politicians and the current ‘favourable wind’ gathering in government behind his profession
The coronavirus ‘infodemic’: truth and conspiracy online
The spread of online misinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated a public health crisis. PublicTechnology digs into a recent parliamentary inquiry to find out more about the response from social media companies and government
Ministerial caricatures, presidential letters, and overseas stamps – FCDO lifts lid on 300 years of documents
The newly created department has published a full inventory of the nearly 10,000 paper documents that form its archive
Lifesaving data – how NHS Digital has worked with researchers to support coronavirus response
Research director Tom Denwood explains how the national digital services agency has helped use information to better understand issues including effective treatments for Covid-19 and the impact on patients suffering from other conditions
Digital government should be central to the UK's role in the post-Brexit world
The nation's expertise in online services and transformation could help forge connections with other countries, according to Tanya Filer from Cambridge University and Antonio Weiss of The PSC
Policymakers must start asking difficult questions on the ethics of AI in healthcare
Government needs to begin working with citizens and industry to address the risks created by the use of new technology, according to Jessica Morley and Luciano Floridi of the Oxford Internet Institute
Blended learning: how one college adapted to coronavirus and what happens next
Bournemouth and Poole College was quick to roll out remote-access tools and is now planning for a future in which technology plays a bigger role, according to technical officer Keith Ball
How Bradford Council has worked to keep tourism alive with virtual visits
Ahead of Yorkshire Day tomorrow – and as the city re-enters localised restrictions – we hear from the authority’s VisitBradford tourism chief Rachel Oxborough about how it has used online engagement to keep in touch with visitors and residents in recent months
Videoconferencing can benefit the NHS and patients long after coronavirus
The pandemic has provided a pressing use case for remote consultations but, according to Rowan Pritchard Jones of St Helens and Knowsley NHS trust, the technology has a lot to offer in the long term
Letter from Australia: how the government got serious on cybersecurity
CyberArk, our sponsor for PublicTechnology Cyber Week, writes about how industry and government are working together to meet Australia’s cyber challenges