Recommendation 13

In 2023–24, one in three cyber security roles in central government were vacant or filled by expensive contractors, and the proportion of vacancies in several departments’ cyber security teams was more than 50%.23 The Cabinet Office accepted that there were significant cyber–skill vacancies and set out the actions it was taking to address the shortfall.24 These included a cyber ‘fast stream’ and a ‘TechTrack’ apprenticeship programme to develop more talent within government. The Cabinet Office also told us about a new digital pay framework, which it had designed to allow departments to pay higher salaries to cyber professionals.25 In its letter to us, the Cabinet Office clarified that, for the first time since 2016, it was increasing the maximum amount that departments could pay civil servants in technical roles below the senior civil service grade, by £15,000. This means cyber professionals in government could earn up to £110,000 per annum.26 We pushed the Cabinet Office on government’s reluctance to pay market–rate salaries. The Cabinet Office agreed that paying higher salaries would still be cheaper than using contractors and could save money over the longer term, if it helped to reduce risk.27 19 C&AG’s Report, para 4.15 20 For example: Committee of Public Accounts, Defence Digital, Thirty–Sixth Report of Session 2022–23, HC 727, 3 February 2023; Committee of Public Accounts, BBC Digital, Forty–Sixth Report of Session 2022–23, HC 736, 28 April 2023; Committee of Public Accounts, Digital transformation of the NHS, Eighth Report of Session 2022–23, HC 223, 30 June 2023 21 Qq 12–13 22 Letter from the Civil Service Chief Operation Officer and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary relating to the oral evidence session held on 10 March 2025 on Government Cyber Resilience, 24 March 2025 23 C&AG’s Report, para 4.15 24 Q 13 25 Q 12 26 Letter from the Civil Service Chief Operation Officer and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary relating to the oral evidence session held on 10