Recommendation 11

The Cabinet Office told us in March 2025 that, to achieve annual savings of up to £500 million by reducing the need for digital consultants, it was aiming for 10% of civil servants to have digital expertise.25 Only 5.5% of the civil service met this criteria in April 2025, though DSIT told us that some government departments had already met this 10% target and that others are progressing towards it.26 It also told us that while there are schemes, such as apprenticeships, aimed at developing government’s digital capability, it faces challenges in recruiting and retaining at senior digital roles because of the wide pay differentials between the public and private sectors. DSIT told us that there is a degree of pay flexibility in making senior appointments and that it makes the case for these to be used, working with HM Treasury.27 We reported in December 2025 that the 22 Committee of Public Accounts, Digital transformation in government: addressing the barriers to efficiency, Seventieth report of session 2022–23. HC 1229, 13 September 2023, Recommendation 3b 23 HMG, A roadmap for modern digital government, January 2026, ‘Elevating digital leadership across government’ section 24 Q 87 25 Letter from Cabinet Office, 24 March 2025 (letter incorrectly dated 24 March 2024) 26 Q 85 27 Q 41 12 digital pay framework has been revalorised, but that it still falls short of industry rates in London and the South East, and this affects recruitment and retention.28