Committee launches inquiry into plans for a Digital Centre of Government
3 February 2025
Today the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee launches its inquiry into plans for a digital centre of government.
The new Government Digital Service is a unit within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) which will co-ordinate and deliver the government’s digital transformation and services/public sector digital reform.
This inquiry follows DSIT’s publication of reviews in January into how the digital centre will be structured, cross-government digital capability, and an AI Opportunities Action Plan. These contained recommendations related to the government’s digital centre agenda and are intended to shape DSIT’s future work on it.
The committee will examine DSIT’s plans and approach to the digital centre of government, focusing on a number of forward-looking case studies. It will examine the department's priorities for the centre, and the opportunities and challenges associated with establishing it.
The inquiry will consider the three reviews undertaken by DSIT since the election and its proposed approach to establishing itself as the digital centre, including the impact of the Data (Use and Access) Bill.
Chair comment
“The Government has set out an ambitious goal of reforming public services through digital technology to make them more efficient, personalized and accessible, with DSIT hosting the new Government Digital Service.
“The UK has implemented some great digital public infrastructure in the past, such as the creation of GOV.UK. However, the government has acknowledged that too many digital services fall short of user expectations and the NAO have said they almost always fail in terms of cost and timeline. IT failures such as Horizon Post Office and NHS England’s digital services have dented public trust. There's a real need to transform government for the digital era and the new Government Digital Service could achieve this but they must get it right.
“In this inquiry, the committee will investigate exactly how to do this. Focusing on a number of forward-looking case studies, we'll scrutinise how DSIT plans to set up the new Government Digital Service, the opportunities it could offer for public services across Government, and what its priorities should be.
“As the government prepares to publish further details of its plans in the summer, we’ll also take a look at potential challenges the centre could face, like departmental digital capability, and recommend solutions.”
Submit evidence
The Committee welcomes written submissions on some or all of the following points in their call for evidence by 11:59pm on 3 March.
Further information
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