Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
Legacy systems predominantly exist in Defra's older legislative and long-running delivery areas.
Recommendation
We asked Defra whether the applications in extended support or hyper-care sat within particular parts of the Defra Group. Defra told us that legacy systems were typically located in areas where the legislation was older, which tended to be in the more long- running delivery areas for Defra Group. Defra explained that it had invested in replacing IT systems to align with newer legislation created for exiting the EU and had created new IT systems, such as for borders and trade, and the future farming and countryside programme.22 It told us it used some of the applications it had created more recently as building blocks to form standard platforms for new digital developments, increasing the speed at which it could react to changes.23 The availability of digital skills
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, stating Defra's Executive Committee approved a long-term digital and data strategy in June 2023, allocating £43 million for improvements and committing to provide further details by March 2024.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: March 2024. Defra’s Executive Committee (ExCo) approved a long-term approach to digital and data for Defra and its biggest arm’s length bodies in June 2023, reflecting the digital needs of organisations across the group. Defra’s Digital Data and Technology strategy aligns with the six missions in the Central Digital and Data Office Roadmap to 2025, was developed with support from our Arm’s Length Bodies and will be refined during the summer of 2023. Defra’s ExCo has already agreed an initial plan of action covering priority areas such as digital service transformation and continuing Defra’s move from legacy data centres to modern infrastructure and cloud environments. Defra’s ambition and principles for digital will be reflected in its planning for future spending review settlements and will be used to shape wider strategy and decision-making across Defra group. Defra intends to publish this strategy and high-level plan by the end of March 2024. The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: March 2024. Many of the items in the strategy are already well underway – including migration from from Defra’s legacy data centres. We expect to have migrated from 3 of Defra’s legacy data centres during the summer of 2023. Defra has also approved a further £43 million of investment to improve, replace or decommission outdated applications during 2023-24. Defra has also started a full re-fresh of Defra Group architectural policies and standards which will complete in 2023-24. Defra will write to the Committee by the end of March 2024 with the further detail on the actions planned in its strategy (including measures for monitoring performance and how it will continue to establish and implement Group-wide standards for technology and architecture). Defra is considering these questions as part of the development of the strategy referred to above, to ensure that the strategy itself can be monitored and supported by appropriate group-wide standards.