Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Accepted
Defra lacks agreed group-wide IT system standards, hindering consistent technology development.
Conclusion
Many different technologies are used across Defra as a consequence of how the Defra Group has grown and changed over time, and how systems were originally developed by different organisations within the Group, which each had their own approach to technology. Defra does not yet have agreed standards for IT systems across the Department and its organisation that would ensure they are developed in a more consistent way across the Group. It told the NAO that, where work to address legacy IT systems had so far resulted in greater user of common technologies, this had been coincidental rather than in accordance with an overarching design. The NAO found that different areas of Defra were still making different choices about their IT systems based on what they already had and were not always taking into account wider corporate considerations, which would inhibit Defra’s ability to gain the full benefits of standardisation.34 We asked the Department when it expected to have established an overall Group-wide standard for technology and architecture. Defra recognised that, while it had established many standards, there were some gaps, and told us that it had work in place to fill these which it anticipated would be complete within the year.35 Aligning digital and business transformation
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and aims for implementation by March 2024, detailing ongoing work including migrating legacy data centres, investing £43 million in application improvements, and refreshing Defra Group architectural policies and standards which will complete in 2023-24. Defra will provide a further update by March 2024.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
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 Defra has also approved a further £43 million of investment to improve, replace or decommission outdated applications during 2023-24.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.