The government is seeking ideas on how to refresh its digital strategy, one strand of which is set to address how to improve online public services.
Digital economy minister Ed Vaizey has announced he is looking for suggestions from the public and industry on how to guide continuing digital transformation in both government and the private sector.
The government said that it would continue to simplify government services using digital technology to save money.
Vaizey said: “Every part of the UK economy and our lives has been digitised – from how we shop and entertain ourselves to the way we travel to work and manage our health.
“But we need to work hard to make sure we continue to take advantage of the benefits digital transformation has to offer.
“Come 2020, undoubtedly the UK landscape will have changed to be firmly in the digital age. But how do you want to shape that? Let’s show the rest of the world how it’s done.”
The minister cited areas including online learning in schools, plus driverless cars as areas in which the UK could lead the world.
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And he added: “In the NHS, it’s already moving from a largely paper-based system to a digital-by-default.
“What more can we do to make our health system more efficient and joined up, so that our amazing doctors and nurses can spend more time saving lives and improving care?”
Minister for the Cabinet Office and paymaster general, Matthew Hancock said: “As a Government, we are transforming the relationship between the citizen and the state, making public services — such as renewing your driving licence or paying your tax bill — simpler, clearer and faster.
“The potential for transformation driven by digital is vast, and we are reforming public services to take advantage of state-of-the-art technologies, not just now but including innovations to come. We will continually find new opportunities to deliver better public services and to keep the UK contributing as a global digital leader.
“We will further invest and develop technology that removes friction, simplifies government and delivers better services for less.”
Vaizey also appeared to suggest that the UK’s digital transformation began in 2010 in east London’s Tech City cluster.
He said: “This digital fever exploded from the cluster in east London, and has spread to every part of the country, making the UK truly a ‘Tech Nation’ with more than 70 per cent of digital businesses now based outside of the capital.”
