Committee to examine plans for the new Government Digital Service

This inquiry will scrutinise the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT) plans and approach to the new Government Digital Service (GDS), what its priorities should be, and the opportunities it could offer for public services.  

In the first panel, the cross-party committee will hear from former government officials on their experience of public sector digital transformation  and their views on the proposed remit of the GDS. Members could ask about proposed Kickstarter initiatives for the GDS (including a new GOV.UK App and GOV.UK chatbot), the GDS’ planned ‘tell us once’ approach to data services, and next steps for the Digital Centre. 

In the second panel, MPs will question public services researchers. Questions may focus on the public’s attitudes towards the digital transformation of public services and the delivery of digital inclusion. They may also ask about what lessons the new GDS should learn from the roll-out of new digital services elsewhere, about challenges to cross-government digital transformation, and how to evaluate the success of the Digital Centre.  

Witnesses at 9.45am:

• Dr Laura Gilbert CBE, Head of AI for Government, Ellison Institute and Tony Blair Institute, Visiting Professor in Practice at LSE, and former Director of Data Science at 10 Downing Street 
• Richard Pope, Director, Richard Pope and Partners and author of ‘Platformland- an anatomy of next generation public services’ 

Witnesses at 10.30am:  

• Rachel Coldicutt OBE, Founder and Executive Director, Careful Industries 
• Joe Hill, Policy Director, Reform think tank  

Innovation showcase at 9.30am:  

Ahead of the main evidence session, the committee will hear from South Devon University Technical College and Education Southwest in a short slot as part of its showcase of UK innovators.   

• Robert Coles, Deputy CEO, Education Southwest 
• Claire Plumb, Headteacher, South Devon University Technical College  
• Will Bent, Lead for Engineering, South Devon University Technical College 

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

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