Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 3
3
We are concerned that government has not built the digital capability or senior digital leadership...
Conclusion
We are concerned that government has not built the digital capability or senior digital leadership it needs to achieve change and bring fraud savings from data analytics. Digital transformation will require strong leadership. The government accepted the previous Committee’s September 2023 recommendation that all departments should have a non-executive director with relevant digital, data and technology transformation expertise on their Boards. While DSIT assured us that this is now the case at several key departments, this ambition has not yet been achieved across government. GDS intends for at least 10% of the civil service to be digital, data and cyber professionals, but in April 2025 only 5.5% of the civil service met this criteria, and GDS is concerned that civil service pay rates make it difficult to retain digital leaders and achieve the upskilling it needs. We were also disappointed to hear that DSIT is not proceeding with the appointment of a permanent secretary-level Government Chief Digital Officer. It is instead choosing a structure where two directors-general will report into the DSIT permanent secretary, with responsibility for supporting digital transformation across government and the digital products GDS builds and runs. We believe this is a shortcoming, and that a Chief Digital Officer of appropriate seniority would give DSIT much greater clout across the whole of government to make the massive digital transformation that is necessary. recommendation a. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology should mandate that there are digitally skilled leaders at board level in all government departments, and all ALBs where technology plays a key part in their ations. It should also mandate the appointment of senior digital specialists in each department and ALB. 4 b. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology should appoint a highly skilled Government Chief Digital Officer, at permanent secretary level, with the necessary authority and
Government Response
Response Pending
HM Government
Response Pending
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Although DSIT does not have statutory powers to mandate board‑level appointments across departments and ALBs, it plays a central role in setting expectations and driving collective action on digital leadership. DSIT acknowledges ongoing digital skills gaps across the public sector and is actively using its leadership of the digital and data profession to strengthen accountability, transparency and workforce capability across government. To strengthen leadership and invest in talent, the roadmap for modern digital government set an expectation that central and local government will have digital leaders on executive committees and boards by 2026. Departments are increasingly doing this, for example Home Office and Department for Education recently made the decision to have board-level digital leaders. DSIT is currently in the process of implementing departmental reporting on whether departments and ALBs have digital leaders on boards and digitally skilled Non-Executive Directors. This information will be requested through DSIT’s next quarterly data commission. DSIT will then work with departments and relevant ALBs that do not have digitally skilled board directors and Non-Executive Directors to identify suitable candidates. Further action to attract, retain, and develop digital and data talent is being taken through the refinement of the Government Digital and Data Pay Framework and Capability Framework. To support long-term workforce planning, talent pipelines are being developed and cross-sector skills exchange encouraged through initiatives such as TechTrack, Fast Stream, the AI Accelerators, succession plans, Returnship Programme and the Digital Secondments Programme. The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT) Permanent Secretary has taken on leadership of the digital and data profession and function. For the first time, this gives digital and data a clear seat at the top table alongside other Heads of Department. Within DSIT, two directors-general report into the DSIT permanent secretary with responsibility for supporting digital transformation across government and the digital products GDS builds and runs. 3.9. The DSIT Permanent Secretary is supported by departmental DG-level Chief Digital and Information Officers acting as Deputy Heads of Function, who work collectively through the Digital Executive Committee, which is chaired by the DSIT Permanent Secretary, to consider shared priorities across departments, including leadership, talent and capability. This leadership model reflects that departments own their transformation journeys, and the centre’s role is to support and enable them. The department is confident this deliberately whole-of-government approach, complimented by digital business reviews with Permanent Secretary colleagues to review progress and look at where further action may be needed, gives government the leadership it needs to deliver on its digital ambitions. The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. how it will meet the target of 10% digitally trained civil servants and the timetable for doing so. DSIT has made progress towards the ambition of having 10% of the civil service to be digital, data and cyber professionals by 2030, several departments are already meeting or approaching this target. However, DSIT recognises the challenges of recruiting and retaining experienced digital talent at civil service pay rates and growing talent with headcount limitations in departments stalling growth, DSIT is working actively with the Treasury to make the case for greater flexibility and to remove these constraints. Further action to attract, retain, and develop digital and data talent is being taken through the refinement of the Government Digital and Data Pay Framework and Capability Framework.