‘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...
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...
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GDS chief on why the agency needs to lead from the front on service design
Director general Alison Pritchard tells PublicTechnology that the organisation still has a key role to play in building services
Analysis: which departments are seeking digital outcomes?
The Digital Marketplace, and the frameworks it supports, are designed to help Whitehall procure in an agile way. But PublicTechnology finds the frequency and type of usage varies significantly across departments
Coronavirus: can we keep track of our sensitive data?
The current crisis has prompted an openness to sharing information and a willingness to forego some of the usual restrictions on doing so – even with commercial entities. PublicTechnology examines the current climate, including two major public-private collaborations, and what it means for personal data, now and in the future
How one London borough is defending against the dark web
Faced with threats from the dark web, Bexley ramped up its cybersecurity with a managed service. Gill Hitchcock finds out more.
NHSX chief: This is not about tech, or data – it’s about patients
A year after NHSX was founded, the healthtech organisation’s head Matthew Gould discusses AI, data sharing and privacy in this exclusive interview
Can the Government Transformation Strategy be judged a success?
The Government Transformation Strategy set out an array of ambitions for a three-year timeframe that has now reached its end. A range of expert commentators discuss whether its aims have been achieved.
Will the UK government use phone tracking to fight pandemic?
Various other countries are using voluntary or mandatory tracking to follow spread of pandemic, as PM says tech will ‘help us see the disease as it is transmitted’
Interview: GDS head Alison Pritchard on ministerial change, the spending review and the benefits of comedy
The Government Digital Service was created to be a radical agent of reform. Director general Alison Pritchard tells PublicTechnology that, while it now prefers to work more collaboratively, it still has the stomach for a scrap.
Carry on campus – how ONS data science is supporting Brexit negotiations and coronavirus response
Since its launch in 2017, the ONS Data Science Campus has delivered many innovative projects to support the government’s work in areas ranging from Brexit negotiations to the early stages of the coronavirus response. We talk to managing director Tom Smith to find out more
All-lane smart motorways show boost in average speeds
Data suggests that the removal of a hard shoulder brings a higher miles per hour rate, but concerns over safety remain
Digitising the Natural History Museum and boosting HMRC IT – fourteen tech takeaways from the Budget
Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a range of funding and new programmes dedicated to digital, data and technology
How AI is helping Bradford NHS trust through winter pressures
Technology is helping to create bed capacity and keep surgery on schedule at Bradford NHS trust. Gill Hitchcock reports on what this means for patients and staff in what is typically a busy time of year
Data suggests big local differences in EU settlement applications
Campaign group calls for local authorities to lead on supporting applications as only a quarter of EU citizens in some areas have applied so far
‘We speak civil service, but we speak private sector too’ – JSaRC head Angela Essel on government’s ‘bilingual’ approach to national security
The Home Office’s Joint Security and Resilience Centre helps government work with industry to meet the UK’s security challenges. We talk to new head Angela Essel about why ‘heated discussions’ between civil servants and commercial secondees has created mutual respect and understanding
Why government is ‘failing’ on AI openness
The body dedicated to upholding ethical standards across the public sector has published a major report examining how to ensure those standards are not threatened by AI and automation
Qualified success – how apprentices are making a big impact at HMRC
About one in 10 of the department’s workforce are apprentices, and its development programmes allows HMRC to attract new talent in technology and other areas, while giving new skills to long-standing employees, according to director general of customer services Angela MacDonald
‘You can talk to a nurse and book your appointment, without leaving Facebook’ – inside NHS Digital’s inclusion drive
Social media training for nurses and tools for people with sensory impairment are among projects from an NHS Digital programme to boost digital inclusion. Gill Hitchcock reports on its progress.
North Lanarkshire’s plan for a future-proof council
With ambitious plans for digital infrastructure, online services, and cloud migration, one local authority has a busy year ahead. Gill Hitchcock reports.
The biggest government tech stories of 2019 – part two
Completing our 2019 round-up with the rundown of the five biggest stories of the year
The biggest government tech stories of 2019 – part one
We round up the events and trends that shaped the year
Why ‘changes in technology and society’ prompted a review of Scottish FOI laws
The Scottish Information Commissioner discusses the impact to date of freedom of information legislation and how he wants the law to operate in the future