Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
All of the witnesses highlighted the importance of data in responding to the pandemic and...
Conclusion
All of the witnesses highlighted the importance of data in responding to the pandemic and acknowledged a key lesson from the last year was the need to improve the quality of data available to citizens and to government, including the quality and granularity of regional economic data, and improving the ability of different systems to talk to each other. Witnesses highlighted several initiatives that government is undertaking to achieve this. In addition to HMRC’s longstanding Making Tax Digital programme, government is digitising paper records, developing a new digital identity system which will include 26 Committee of Public Accounts, Challenges in using data across government, HC 2492, Session 2017–19, 25 September 2019, para 1 27 HM Treasury, Treasury Minutes: Government responses to the Committee of Public Accounts on the One Hundred and Twelfth to One Hundred and Nineteenth reports from Session 2017–19 and the First and Second reports from Session 2019, CP 210, January 2020 28 Qq 43–45 29 Qq 36–37; C&AG’s Report, paras 18, 20, 22 30 British Medical Association (Ev ILG004) Initial lessons from the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic 15 a tell-us-once service for changes of address and mobile phone number, and building a national situation centre with 24/7 data feed to support rapid decision-making.31 We asked what could be done to ensure the better use of data, whether during a pandemic or other spheres of Government. The Cabinet Office told us that it wanted to ensure that data was available in a form that could be shared, and followed appropriate processes, but also that the sharing of data was not overly inhibited by the necessary regulatory and legal requirements.32
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
2: PAC conclusion: Government’s ability to make well-informed decisions and address issues as they arise during the pandemic has been hampered by slow progress in addressing longstanding issues with data and legacy IT. 2a: PAC recommendation: HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office should write to us by 31 October 2021 setting out how they plan to reflect the need to address data and IT issues when prioritising bids for the next spending review. 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.2 During this Spending Review, experts within the Central Digital and Data Office (part of the Cabinet Office) have worked with HM Treasury on a Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) bid assurance process. As part of this process, the Cabinet Office provided expert advice to HM Treasury on departmental bids with significant DDaT elements. Advice encompassed factors such as alignment to strategic priorities across the DDaT function as well as the feasibility of the bids. 2.3 This advice was provided in accordance with a standardised and agreed assessment framework shaped around critical digital and data priorities and took into consideration requirements around topics such as legacy IT, cyber security and automation. This specialist advice has helped to ensure critical priorities are funded. 2.4 This advice went into the Spending Round outcomes which made substantial provision for Digital Data & Technology, as set out in the Chancellor’s statement on 27 October and accompanying documentation, and with the additional detail being provided to the Treasury Select Committee this week. HMT departmental settlement conditions will reinforce priorities, and departmental performance will continue to be monitored through CDDO’s Quarterly Business Reviews.